530 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HIST. SOCIETY, Vol. XXIV. 



machines. The husks are crushed in a mill, consisting of two 

 adjustable fliTted iron rollers. The pressure here exerted flattens 

 them and prepares them for the " breaking down," or extraction of 

 the fibre, performed in an " extraction " composed essentially of a 

 drum or cylinder Avhose periphery is coated with steel teeth that 

 catch in the fibre and tear it from the husk. The machine is 

 covered with a wooden case to prevent the fibre being scattered. 

 It is then " willowed " or cleaned, graded, and baled for shipment. 

 Coir is much used in India in place of hair for stufiing mattresses, 

 and is certainly preferable to those stuffed with ox or cow-hair. 

 It is also employed for stuffing cushions for couches and saddles. 

 Large qiiantities are annually shipped to Europe, where it is manu- 

 factured into brushes, mats, and carpets, and even hats and bonnets. 

 The fibre is rather difficult to twist; still it is made into ropes for 

 ordinary purposes in shipping. It is one of the best materials for 

 cables, on account of its strength, lightness, and elasticity. These 

 cables are further valuable becaiise they are durable, particularly 

 wdien wetted with salt water. "Numerous instances have been 

 related of ships furnished with cables of this light, buoyant, and 

 elastic material, riding out a storm in security, while stronger-made 

 though less elastic ropes of other vessels snapped in two, and even 

 when chain cables have given way. Indeed, until chain cables were 

 so largel}^ introduced, most of the ships navigating the Indian seas 

 were furnished with coir cables. Though rough to handle, and not so 

 neat-looking as hemp cordage for rigging it is yet, when properly 

 made, sufficiently pliable, and being elastic, it is well suited for 

 running, rigging, where lightness is an advantage, as for the more 

 lofty sails and sheets ; but from its elasticity it is not considered so 

 well adapted for standing rigging." (Royle). According to Wight's 

 experiments coir cordage broke with 224 lb., whilst Hibiscus 

 cannabinus bore only 190 lb., but the Moorva, 316 lb. The soft 

 downy fibre produced at the bottom of the fronds is used to stop 

 bleeding from the wounds. This fibre is altogether of a more 

 delicate nature, and forms a kind of network, which is beautifully 

 white, and even transparent w^hen j^oung. As the fronds grow 

 older, this natural matting becomes coarser, tough, and of a brownish 

 colour. It maj be stripped off the tree in large pieces, which are 

 used in both India and Ceylon as strainers for palm wine or coco-nut 

 oil, or for straining sago or arrow root. In Cejdon it is manufac- 

 tured into a course kind of cloth for bags and coverings, and from 

 these bags again a course kind of paper is made. 



Toddy. — The Palm wine or toddy is obtained from the flower- 

 spathes before the flowers have yet expanded. To procure the toddy 

 the spathe is tied with strips of the young leaves (which are much 

 tougher and stronger than the old ones) to prevent its expansion. 

 It is cut a little transversely from the top, and beaten either with the 



