56 THE GEOGRAPHY OF PLANTS. 



of the inhabitants, but form a profitable article 

 of trade. In the south of Ceylon there is a 

 forest of the cocoa palms, which stretches along 

 the sea-shore for twenty-six miles, is several 

 leagues in breadth, and is estimated to contain 

 eleven millions of full-grown trees. When the 

 Dutch were masters of Ceylon, six thousand 

 casks of arrack, three millions of pounds of coir 

 rope, (a cordage made from cocoa fibres,) and 

 an immense quantity of oil, were annually ob- 

 tained from this forest. Like all other fruit- 

 trees, it is improved by cultivation. It grows 

 rapidly, and at six years old often bears thirty 

 nuts. When full grown it will produce two 

 hundred to three hundred nuts, and will live to 

 the age of one hundred years. The fresh ripe 

 nut is full of a fluid as clear as water, and of a 

 sweetish taste, which is an extremely cooling 

 and agreeable drink, often enthusiastically 

 praised by travellers. The kernel, boiled in 

 sugar, forms a delicious sweetmeat, and is 

 universally eaten in the Spanish colonies in 

 tropical countries. The cocoa nut oil is ob- 

 tained by long boiling the kernel in water, and 

 then pressing it ; it is largely used in our 

 manufactories. It is surprising that it is not 

 more generally used as a domestic article, as, 

 instead of the very unpleasant smell of fish oil, 

 it has rather an agreeable odour, and is readily 

 consumed in open glass vessels, with floating or 

 standing wicks, whatever the temperature of 

 the air may be. The nut-shells are used by 

 the natives for driuking-cups, and being very 



