end the Areca-iiul Tree. 329 



in the arts, in nncdicine, and for several domestic purposes. 

 Naturalists have enumerated some of its properties ;bLit, as 

 they wrote only from the reports of others, they have 

 omitted a oreat number. I shall therefore endeavour to 

 supply this deficiency. In general, every species of this 

 family produces this liquor ; but that of the coco-nut tree, 

 and particularly the loi/tarui, furnishes the greatest number 

 of articles, either for the arts or for domestic purposes. 



The calou of the coco-nut tree is more saccharine and 

 more nutritious ; though used to excess, it can do no hurt 

 to the animal oeconomv ; and instead of being injurious to 

 the health of man, as all fermented and intoxicating liquors 

 are, it is salutary ; or, if it intoxicates, it is only for a mo- 

 ment, and unattended with any danger. 



The caUm, drunk before sun-rise, has so sweet a savour 

 and taste, that it seems to be the nectar spoken of by Ho- 

 mer; but it must be received in a new earthen vessel, for 

 without this precaution it acquires a disagreeable odour, 

 tither by negligence, or by the slightest fermentation. 



When it is onlv six or seven hours old, it is employed, 

 without the addition of water, as yeast, in the baking of 

 bread. The bread rises sooner, and is muchbetttr; it has 

 a taste, lightness, and whiteness, which no other kind of 

 leaveri could give it in the same degree of perfection. It is 

 remarked that sea biscuit baked in India keeps longer, and 

 is superior in (piality to that baked in P2urope. These facts 

 &re well known ; every European who has travelled in that 

 country can attest them. 



If calou be mixed with a small quantity of beer, a little 

 sugar or syrup, and if an eijual volume of water be added 

 to these three ingredients, the whole will form an agreeable 

 and cooling beverage, which may be used at meals. 



This liquor is a specific against the scurvy. The Hindoo 

 physicians employ it for nephritic colics, which they ra- 

 dically cure, bv making use of it for twenty or thirty days: 

 this remedy, which is composed with four ounces of cori- 

 ander, dissolved in about a quart of new calou, and of 

 which a glassful is given to the patient bo-fore meals, three 

 or four tinges a dav, is not nauseous either by its taste or jts 

 smell ; the coriander dissolves entirely in this menstruum, 

 and colours it : though it has a disposition to speedy ter- 

 incntalion, it docs not become sour. 



it is well known that an excellent spirit, less injurious in 

 conscfjuenee of its balsamic quality than other kinds ol 

 spirit, is extracted from this litpior. The calou contains 

 tiueh a large (quantity of alcohol, that it gives by distillation 



iiior- 



