182 MASS. EXPERIMENT STATION BULLETIN 155. 



COCOANUT MEAL. 



J. B. LINDSEY. 



The cocoaniit is the fruit of the cocoa palm (Cocus nucifcra), 

 growing in Ceylon, India, West and East Africa, the Philip- 

 pine Islands, Brazil and Australia. It is valuable for its shell 

 (which furnishes fiber), its oil and its meat. The milk in the 

 inner part of the nut gradually becomes thick as the cocoanut 

 ripens, and forms the meat of the nut. According to Ollech,^ 

 a typical ripe nut was found to consist of 30.45 j:)er cent, of 

 fiber, 19.59 per cent, of shell, and 49.96 per cent, of meat, and 

 to weigh 1,133 grams. The oil is removed by pressure or by 

 extraction by cooking with water, frequently at the place of 

 production. The meat is shipped in a dry condition to Europe 

 under the name of Kopra. The dry, unextracted meat (8 per 

 cent, water) contains from 36 to 67 per cent, of oil. 



The extracted meat is ground and furnishes the cocoanut 

 meal used in animal feeding. When in normal condition it 

 is light red to brown in color, has a nutty smell and taste, and 

 is well liked by all kinds of farm animals. 



The lot experimented with was secured from the Edible Oils 

 Company of 'New York, who imported it. 



1. Composition of Cocoanut Meal. 



' E. Pott, Handbuch d. TLicrischen Ernahrung, etc., Bd. III., p. 76. 



