THE PALMS OF BRITISH INDIA AND CEYLON. 511 



America. Manj^ facts confirm this opinion. The first botanists 

 who visited Brazil, Piso and Marcgraf and others, do not mention 

 the Elaeis. It is onlj^ found on the littoral, from Rio de Janeiro to 

 the mouth of the Amazon, never in the interior. It is often culti- 

 vated, or has the appearance of a species escaped from the planta- 

 tions. Sloane, who explored Jamaica in the seventeenth century, 

 relates that this tree was introduced in his time into a plantation 

 which he names, from the coast of Guinea. It has since become 

 naturalized in some of the West India Islands." (Orio-in of 

 Cultivated Plants, p 429.) "" 



Uses. — Elaeis guineensis is foremost among the useful palms of 

 tropical Western Africa. The oil of the mesocarp of the fruit of 

 this palm constitutes in most parts the chief food of the natives 

 who hardly ever take a meal in which it is not used in some way or 

 other. It is nutritious and of an agreeable flavour — so much so 

 indeed, that it generally becomes a favourite dish with Europeans 

 Besides being used as food, the natives also use it for oiling their 

 bodies, partly to keep away insects, and partly as a substitute for 

 clothing. The Bubis of the Island of Fernando Po make an 

 excellent poultice of it which they apply to wounds ; they used it 

 especially when the hand of an}?- person, found guilty of adultery 

 had, in accordance with the usage of these people, been cut off. 

 Among the more civilized natives it is used, as in Europe, in the 

 manufacture of soap, it is also employed for lighting their huts 

 but the oil extracted from the kernel of the nut is generally pre- 

 ferred for this purpose. The exportation of the fruit of this palm 

 has attained great dimensions. 



The toddy of this palm, a drink much liked by the natives, is 

 obtained by cutting off the male flower-spike ; this wine is also 

 used by the Europeans instead of yeast in making bread. Besides 

 the oil, the Africans prepare from Elaeis guineensis palm -soup, a 

 dish, when made of boiled palm-nuts only, is very well flavoured. 

 The natives pick the nuts of those young trunks which have not 

 yet lost any of their leaves, and consider them as superior to the 

 fruit of older plants. 



The main nerves of the leaf and the exterior of the petiole are 

 used for basket-work, for the making of brooms, and similar 

 purposes. The fibre at the base of the leaves, and also that 

 of the spathe, is used for stuffing cushions, etc. The soft centre 

 of the upper parts of the stem, consisting of the undeveloped 

 leaves, is much relished as a vegetable. Finger-rings, bracelets 

 necklaces, and other ornaments are cut from the endocai-p of 

 the seed. 



, Cultivation in Europe. — Stove palms. They thrive well in a 

 rich sandy loam. Propagation by seeds. They form excellent 

 decorative plants when in a young state. 



