234 USEFUL PLANTS OF GUAM. 



unless artificially manured, and in such places renewals of old groves are unprofita- 

 ble unless there is plenty of vacant space and the planter is prepared to devote several 

 years to improvement of the soil. 



The first accurate description of the coconut was published by Dampier, from 

 observations made by him in Guam in 1686. At the time of the discovery of the 

 island, Magellan noted the occurrence of "cocchi," the oil of which, together with 

 that of "giongioli," was used by the natives to anoint their bodies and their hair. 

 (Pigafetta's Narrative.) Dampier compared the coconut palm with the "cabbage 

 tree" (probably Roystonea oleracea) in its general appearance. He speaks of the 

 large groves growing on the west coast of the island, and gives the following quaint 

 description, which is marvelous for its accuracy: 



The Nut or Fruit grows at the head of the Tree, among the Branches and Clusters, 

 10 to 12 in a Cluster. The Branch to which they grow is about the bigness of a Man's 

 Arm, and as long, running small towards the end. It is of a yellow colour, full of 

 Knots and very tough. The Nut is generally bigger than a Man's Head. The outer 

 Rind is nearly two Inches thick, before you come to the Shell; the Shell it self is 

 black, thick, and very hard. The Kernel in some Nuts is very thick, sticking to the 

 inside of the Shell clear round, leaving a hollow in the middle of it, which contains 

 about a Pint, more or less, according to the bigness of the Nut, for some are much 

 bigger than others. 



This Cavity is full of sweet, delicate, wholesome and refreshing Water. While 

 the Nut is growing, all the inside is full of this Water, without any Kernel at all; 

 but as the Nut grows towards its Maturity, the Kernel begins to gather and settle 

 round on the inside of the Shell, and is soft like Cream; and as the Nut ripens, it 

 increaseth in substance and becomes hard. The ripe Kernel is sweet enough, but 

 very hard to digest, therefore seldom eaten, unless by strangers, who know not the 

 effects of it; but while it is young and soft like Pap, some Men will eat it, scraping 

 it out with a Spoon, after they have drunk the Water that was within it. I like the 

 Water best when the Nut is almost ripe, for it is then sweetest and briskest. 



When the Nuts are ripe and gathered, the outside Rind becomes of a brown rusty 

 colour; so that one would think that they were dead and dry; yet they will sprout 

 out like Onions, after they have been hanging in the Sun 3 or 4 Months, or thrown 

 about in a House or Ship, and if planted afterwards in the Earth, they will grow up 

 to a Tree. Before they thus sprout out, there is a small spungy round knob grows 

 in the inside, which we call an Apple. This at first is no bigger than the top of 

 ones finger, but increaseth daily, sucking up the Water till it is grown so big as to 

 fill up the Cavity of the Coco-nut, and then it begins to sprout forth. By this time 

 the Nut that was hard, begins to grow oily and soft, thereby giving passage to the 

 Sprout that springs from the Apple, which Nature hath so contrived, that it points 

 to the hole in the Shell, (of which there are three, till it grows ripe, just where it's 

 fastened by its stalk to the Tree; but one of these holes remains open, even when it 

 is ripe) through which it creeps and spreads forth its Branches [leaves]. You may 

 let these teeming Nuts sprout out a foot and a half or two foot high before you plant 

 them, for they will grow a great while like an Onion out of their own Substance. 



After describing at length the products obtainable from the sap, the kernel of the 

 nut, the fiber of the husk, and the shell, Dampier concludes: 



I have been the longer on this subject, to give the Reader a particular Account of 

 the use and profit of a Vegetable, which is possibly of all others the most generally 

 serviceable to the conveniencies, as well as to the necessities of humane Life. Yet 

 this Tree, that is of such great use, and esteemed so much in the East-Indies, is scarce 

 regarded in the West-Indies, for want of the knowledge of the benefit which it may 

 produce. And 'tis partly for the sake of my Country-men, in our American Planta- 

 tions, that I have spoken so largely of it. For the hot Climates there are a very 

 proper soil for it; and indeed it is so hardy, both in raising it, and when grown, that 

 it will thrive as well in dry sandy ground as in rich land. I have found them grow- 

 ing very well in low sandy Islands (on the West of Sumatra) that are over-flowed 

 with the Sea every Spring-tide; and though the Nuts there are not very big, yet this 

 is no loss, for the Kernel is thick and sweet; and the Milk, or Water, in the inside 

 is more pleasant and sweet than of the Nuts that grow in rich ground, which are 

 commonly large indeed, but not very sweet. These at Guam grow in dry ground, 

 are of middle size, and I think the sweetest that I did ever taste. 6 



See Lyon, The cocoanut, etc., Bureau of Agr. [Philippines], Bull. No. 8, 1903. 

 & Dampier, A New Voyage Round the World, ed. 6, pp. 291-296, 1717. 



