io8 Coco-nuts The Consols of the East 



they come from the San Bias Indian coast of 

 Panama. As stated elsewhere, they are said 

 to be the finest in the world, and claim to 

 enjoy the very highest price on the New York 

 market of any nuts. 1 These high prices are 

 due to the size of the nuts, or rather to 

 the size of their contents, which are richer, 

 thicker, sweeter, and whiter than their less 

 highly priced rivals. Those having to remove 

 the meat tell us also that the San Bias nuts 

 are " free-shellers," i.e. the meat can be easily 

 removed from the shell by machinery, whereas 

 with other nuts this must be clone by hand. 

 We cannot say if this is always correct, but 

 give the information as received from those 

 who are interested in San Bias. The nuts 

 certainly run large, and if the palms yield as 

 well as reported, both quality and weight will 

 therefore be obtained from them. In answer to 

 inquiries we are told that their average weight 

 runs from 165 Ib. to 170 Ib. per 100 nuts, such 

 nuts selling in New York during 1910 at from 

 $33 to $40 per 1,000, and at the end of 1911 

 or beginning of 1912 at $48. These values, we 

 would say, must undoubtedly be due to the 

 soil and situation of the Panama groves. What- 

 ever the causes may be, whether wind, sea-air, 

 plenty of air, salt breezes, plenty of subsoil, 

 water always ebbing and flowing, or for any 



1 We are told, for instance, that on October 13, 1911, 

 San Bias nuts realized $48 (10) per 1,000, f.o.b., New 

 York, against $34.50 for Jamaicas, also fine nuts. 



