THE COCONUT 123 



of this tree is copra, the dried meat of the fruit. The 

 fiber of the husk, called coir, is another very valuable 

 product. In the Philippines the leaves and trunk are 

 used in building houses, the husks and shells for fuel, 

 and the shells in making household utensils. There 

 are still other local uses for various parts of the tree. 

 The rich sap, fermented, is tuba. The oil obtained 

 from copra has many local uses. 



The Roots. The roots of the coconut are exceedingly 

 numerous; sometimes as many as eight thousand grow 

 from the base of one trunk. They are all very slender 

 and elastic. They grow only near the surface of the 

 ground, and, in general, grow straight ahead in the 

 direction in which they leave the stem. The longest are 

 about 7 meters long in sand, or about 5 meters long 

 in firm soil. The root branches grow at right angles 

 to the main roots. 



The plant is without really fibrous roots, and without 

 root hairs. Only the youngest parts of the roots, just 

 behind the tips, absorb water. The old parts are incased 

 in a thick, hard shell, which prevents their losing the 

 water absorbed by the young parts. The short, sharp, 

 white roots scattered over the old ones are breathing 

 organs. 



The Trunk. The trunk of the coconut is very hard on 

 the outside, but softer within. It is so tough that no or- 

 dinary wind can break it. The trunk is enlarged at the 

 base so as to have place for the attachment of its many 

 roots. 



