1)40 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HIST. SOCIETY, Vol. XXI. 



sent coastwise, chiefly to Colombo, or exported beyond seas to be 

 refined. About 3 quarts of toddy suffice for boiling into 1 lb. of 

 jaggery. The juice of the Palmyra is richer in saccharine matter 

 than that of most other palms, in consequence, perhaps, of the 

 tree more gegtieralljr growing in Avj sandy soil and in a dry climate. 



To make ' Vellum " or crystallized jaggery, which is extensively 

 used as a medicine, the process is nearly the same as for the 

 common substance ; only the syrup is not boiled for so long a period. 

 The pot which contains it is covered and put aside for some 

 months, at the end of Avhich period the crji^stals are found in 

 abundance. 



Jaggery, besides being exported in large quantities, forms a 

 considerable portion of the food of the poorer classes in India and 

 Ceylon. The sweetness of Biirmese bread seems to depend on the 

 use of toddy-juice to raise it. 



Amongst a variety of purposes to which it is put, is that of 

 being mixed, together with whites of eggs, with lime from burnt 

 coral or shells. The result is a tenacious mortar, capable of 

 receiving so beautiful a polish that it can with difficulty be distin- 

 guished from the finest white marble. 



It is stated that palm sugar, which is chiefly the produce of the 

 Palmyra tree is more granulated and higher priced than that 

 obtained from the cane. Small round cakes of jaggery were used 

 formerly and to some extent still pass as currency in the Tinne- 

 velly district. 



3. Vinegar. — Large quantities of vinegar are made in Ceylon 

 from toddy. It is prepared in the following way : — A glazed 

 earthen jar is buried three-fourths its depth in the earth, in a 

 spot exposed to the full influence of the sun. A qiiantity of 

 Palmyra or Cocoanut tree toddy is daily thrown into the jar, until 

 it is nearly full, when the mouth of it is carefully clayed up. 

 The fermenting process immediately commences and continues for 

 some months. At a certain stage of the process, which is ascer- 

 tained by removing the cover and testing the quality of the 

 vinegar, quantity of burnt paddy is thrown in, which in the 

 course of a few days change the watery colour of the fluid to that 

 of pale brandy. The vinegar is then fit to be bottled. It is used 



