COCONUT PLANTER'S MANUAL. 157 



The solid portion of the niaeapuno nut is slightly richer in protein than 

 the common nut, but is considerably poorer in oil. The soft portion of 

 the macapuno contains more protein and oil th in does the milk of a normal 

 nut. 



The macapunj is valuable for the making of preserves. Sometimes it is 

 eaten fresh with sugar, but is rather unpalatable unless sweetened. When 

 boiled in syrup it is relished by all who have occasion to try it. 



The existence of this kind of a variation from the normal form of fruit 

 of the coconut raises interesting questions as to the possibility of the 

 transmission of such a characteristic; the chemical composition of the 

 abnormal nuts needs to be mo'e clo ely studied, especially the nature of the 

 carbohydrates and proteins they conta in ; and thee are physiological ques- 

 tions as to what influences have produced the sport form and why such 

 nuts fail to germinate. —Philippine Agriculturist- 



LIME IN AGRICULTURE. 



Lime occurs in two forms in Ceylon, viz. : as Coral Lime and Dolomite. 

 The former is practically a pure carbonate of lime containing traces of 

 organic matter resulting from the decay of the minute animals which 

 produce it. The latter is a mixture of the carbonates of lime and magnesia 

 with varying proportion of quartz or silica, and is to be seen cropping out 

 in various parts of the tea districts. 



Coral Lime is what is usually employed for manurial purposes in Ceylon 

 either in the burned or unbnrned condition, and it is this kind of lime that 

 is referred to in the following remvks : — 



Large supplies are obtained from coral formations near Ambalangoda. 

 As imported from India or the Maldives, it occurs in hard lumps of irregular 

 shape and size, and in this form is practically useless for agricultural 

 purposes. To render it useful, it is either ground to a line state of division 

 and sold as ground coral, or more commonly it is burned in special kilns 

 with the aid of wood fuel, when it is sold as " burnt or quick-lime.' 



Burning Lime. 



In burning, pure coral 1 >se> about 44% of its weight as carbonic acid 

 gas, 100 parts uf the coral yielding 56 parts of quicklime This quicklime 

 has a strong affinity for water, and if exposed to the air will absorb 30% of 

 its weight of water when it falls to an extremely finely divided dry powder, 

 known as slaked lime. Quicklime can bo slaked immediately by pouring 



