CHAPTER VII 



SUGAR 



Palmyra Palm 



{Bo7^assiis flabelliformis) 



This and the following palms, along with Maguey and 

 Sugar-cane, are the sources from which the inhabitants of 

 tropical countries obtain their sugar. As will be seen, it 

 is obtained without much trouble, often from poor soil, and 

 the crop does not require yearly renewal like the Sugar-cane. 

 The above palm is called Tal (Bengali and Hindustani) ; 

 Lontar (Malay) ; Eontal (Java) ; Tati (Telegu) ; Panai- 

 maram ? (Tamil); Pana (Malay); and Htan (Burmali). 

 This Fan Palm is plentiful on the east and west coasts 

 of Madagascar, especially on the warm plains. It is culti- 

 vated throughout tropical India, Burmah, Ceylon, and 

 East Indian Archipelago. It is the Toddy Palm of South 

 India, Konkan, Burmah, and Ceylon. 



The juice, or toddy, is called " ras," and before sunrise 

 is sweet and agreeable, and while fresh is consumed as a 

 beverage, but after sunrise it ferments rapidly. The fresh 

 juice, boiled down to remove moisture, yields "jaggery," 

 which consists almost entirely of sugar. The vessels, used 

 for collecting toddy to be made into " jaggery " (sugar), have 



