89 



and 22, in Room No. 2, other umbrellas of a moi*e' orriAteetotal CABlK^ 

 character, together with a fan from Burma, are showh. ' '. ," 4P. ^ 



iNfo. 90. RotJGH and Finished Walking Sticks o? Re^ 



Palmyra {Borassusjiahelliformis). • 



No. 91. Model of a Palmt&a. tree, illustrating the mode 



of collecting toddy. .. (,A\\ .•i'..;h = ' . . >, ' 



No. 92. Fine bunch of fruits of Palmyra. 



Note a portion of a trunk, cleaned and j)olished ; als6 ' an 

 Indian drum made of a hollow trunk of the sam^ palm. 



A large collection of baskets, hats, fans, &c., made from 

 Palmyra leaves are here shown. Also a complete get of toddy 

 collecting apparatus, consisting of knives used for cutting the 

 spathes, wooden strop used to sharpen the knives, ves'sel for 

 collecting the toddy by tying it to the end of the spatlie, aild 

 allowing the juice to flow into it, rope for passing round the 

 body of the toddyman, to assist him in climbing the trees, 

 staves or bludgeons for beating tlie spathes, cases made of the 

 spathes used for holding the instruments, shields or guards of 

 leather, to prevent the wearing away of the rope by friction in 

 climbing. 



The principal product of the Palmyra tree in India is the 

 sweet sap, which when collected and fermented forms toddy. 

 Seemanu says, ^' At the season when the inflorescence begins to 

 appear, and before the spathes have had time to burst, the 

 toddyman is at work in the palmyra groves." After cutting 

 off some of the leaves, ** All or most of the spathes are effec- 

 tually encompassed from end to end by thongs, to prevent 

 the inflorescence from bursting forth. Thu6 tied they are 

 beaten and crushed between the wooden battens. This 

 operation is repeated for three successive mornings, and on 

 each of the following four a thin slice is cut from the 

 points of the spathes ; apd this is done in order to Heep them 

 from bursting and to encourage the flow of sap. On the 

 icighth morning a clear sweet liquor begins to flow from the 

 wounded parts . . , . The toddy drawer ascends again 

 with chatties, or toddy receivers, in which he places the ends 

 of the spathes, and leaves them until the evening, when .they 

 are found to contains a quantity of this liquor. TMie opemtion 

 of extracting the juice is repeated every morning and evening, or 

 in the mornings only, until the whole spathe is sliced away. 

 The trees are drained in this manner for several months in 

 the year, but it is said that if the operation is repeated on the 



