946 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HIST. SOCIETY, Vol. XXI, 



of P. 944. Pillars and posts for the verandahs of the houses^ 

 well-sweeps, etc, are made of this timber. Trunks split into halves, 

 with the heart scooped ont, are nsed as sponts for various purposes,. 

 but more especially for carrying away the water from the eaves of 

 houses. The thick parts of the trunks are generally taken for 

 rafters, the thinner or tops for laths. The trunks of young trees 

 or the tops of old ones are often cut into pieces and placed where 

 game is plentiful, as in the Patchelepalla district of Jaffna. The 

 wild hogs and hares are very fond of the soft, white,, spongy hearts 

 of the logs, and in resorting to them to eat, are frequently shot by 

 the natives. The dark outside wood of very old trees is used to 

 some extent in Europe for umbrella-handles, walking canes, paper 

 rulers, fancy boxes, wager-stamps, and other articles. It is well 

 known in India that the female tree produces the best and hardest 

 timber, and that that of the male is considered so inferior that^ 

 unless the trees are very old, it is never used. The juice is used 

 in the preparation of cements. 



9. Leaves and Fibres. — When the leaves are intended for thatch 

 of houses, and for making fences for gardens and fields, they are 

 laid flat on the ground in layers over each other and often with 

 weights upon them to assist in flattening them. The thatch 

 formed of these does not last so long nor is it so handsome as that 

 made from the plaited cocoanut leaves. Palmyra; thatch,, when 

 laid on well, lasts for two j^'ears, but being so plentiful and cheap^ 

 the leaves are generally renewed yearly. 



In India as well as in Cejdon the leaves are extensivefy used for 

 manuring the rice fields. The fan parts are put intO' the ground 

 till they rot off; this is found to be an excellent maraiurey giving a 

 quantity of silicious and other matter to the soil. 



Mats of various sizes, used instead of carpets on floors, for 

 ceiling and for many other purposes, are made of the Palmyra 

 leaves. Ola bags are also formed and are useful for purposes where 

 strength of texture is not an object. Even water baskets for rais- 

 ing water are made of the leaves. They are circular on the top 

 but taper down in a triangular fonn to the bottom which is a point. 

 They are occasionally woven into hats and caps. At Diamond 



