THE PALM FAMIL\ 







pinnatificl, the narrowed divisions deeply two cleft at their apices and recurved 

 near the sunnnit. Sinuses: with thread-like fibres which have parted from the 

 pale margins; thick; lustrous; bright green. Spadix : two to two and a half feet 

 long, branched. Flowers: whitish, perfect; very small; growing in the axils of 

 early falling bracts. G;/j;f ; cup-shaped; unequally three-lobed. Petals: three, 

 slightly united at their bases. Stavietis : six. Drupe: globose; black; lustrous.' 



" High-towering palms that part the southern flood, 

 With shadowy isles and continents of wood." 



This majestic palm, with its tall trunk and luxuriously tufted mass of fan- 

 shaped leaves at the 

 summit, is very different 

 in appearance from the 

 trees with which we are 

 mostly familiar. It is 

 in truth a coastal beau- 

 ty, and its presence 

 changes completely the 

 sylvan character of a 

 scene from that o 

 country where it is not 

 known. To the people 

 of its section its use- 

 fulness is very great. 

 By the negroes and na- 

 tive whites alike, its 

 terminal bud, which 

 they call the"cabbage." 

 is regarded as a great 

 luxury. They think 

 little indeed of sacrific- 

 ing the tree when their 

 appetites are in ques- 

 tion ; for always the 

 growth of the young 

 and healthful ones is 

 chosen. When we 

 prepared this delicacy 



" - r 



\- 



is similar in flavour 



- to that of artichokes and 



IS really extremely palatable. Even pickles are made from these buds. 

 But more than m any other way the trees are pillaged to supply the bristles 

 of scrubbmg brushes. About a foot of the young, imbricated leaf stalks, 

 the bud in reality, is cut off, and sent to factories that use them in large 



