Alcohol from Coco-nut Palms 545 



(2) Sample of toddy collected by a native 

 in the usual manner, and representing a com- 

 posite from a number of trees, was preserved 

 with a large excess of formalin. The collec- 

 tions were .ma'de at 7 a.m. from the bamboo 

 joints which had been filled by the night's 

 flow, and the sample was preserved three hours 

 later. On analysis this gave the following 

 figures, expressed as grammes per 100 c.c. : 



Density at 



Total solids ... ... ... ... ... 3-72 



Acidity as acetic ... ... ... ... o - 68 



Alcohol ... ... ... ... ... 6 - oo 



Ash ... ... ... ... ... ... 0*41 



Sugars. 



Polarization at 30 ... ... ... ... 0-65 



Invert reading ... ... ... ... 1*02 



Sucrose by Clerget per 100 grammes ... 0*29 



Invert grammes ... .... ... ... 1*95 



The sap ferments rapidly and becomes intoxi- 

 cating, giving as much as 1 1*9 per cent, proof 

 spirit, equivalent to 5*86 per cent, alcohol by 

 weight. One hundred gallons of toddy equals 

 25 gallons of arrack, by distillation estimated 

 to be about 24 per cent, in alcoholic strength. 1 



1 Unfortunately, we cannot go fully into the question 

 of distillation here, but must refer our readers to such 

 works as Watt's " Economic Products of India " and Mr. 

 Gibbs' very full report in the Philippine Journal of Science. . 

 There will be found details as to selling price and cost 

 of production. We only introduce the particulars 

 already given, as well as those re sugar, &c., to give 

 planters some idea of what can be done with the pro- 

 ducts of the palms in one form or another. 



35 



