4o FOOD FOR THE TROPICS 



report adds, " In 1884-5 and 1885-6 the total quantity of 

 jaggery produced from these pahns is apparently more 

 than that from the sugar cane." 



Self -fermented toddy is extensively used by bakers in India, 

 in place of yeast. 



Royle states that " vinegar " may be produced from the 

 juice by allowing it to undergo the acetous fermentation, 

 and for this purpose a supply of juice is procured in the 

 morning and evening, particular care being taken that the 

 vessels employed have been well cleaned and dried. 



Dickens, in Household Words^ says that " when the 

 Singhalese (Ceylon) villager fells one of these trees after 

 it has ceased bearing, with its trunk he builds his hut and 

 bullock stall, which he thatches with its leaves. Slips of the 

 bark are used for bolts and bars, and the plot of chillies 

 (peppers), and grain is fenced with its leafstalks. The 

 infant sleeps in a net of coir string from the husks. The 

 meal of rice and grated coco-nut boiled over a fire of 

 coco-nut shells and husks, is eaten out of a dish formed of 

 the plaited green leaves with a spoon cut out of the nut 

 shell. His torch is composed of a bundle of the dried 

 leaves and flower-stalks, fishing nets of the fibres, and the 

 canoe is the trunk of the tree. He drinks the fresh milk 

 of the nut, eats the soft kernel, drinks toddy (unfermented 

 juice), flavours his curry with its vinegar, sweetens his 

 coffee with its jaggery (sugar), and softens it with the milk. 

 The wood forms the doors, windows, shelves, chairs, and 

 the water-gutter under the eaves. Spoons, basins, mugs, 

 salt-cellars, and jars are made from the shell." 



