THE PALMS OF BRITISH INDIA AND CEYLON. 961 



also.' At the direction of the crescent-moon-adorned Sivan, 

 Brahma created in abundance Pahnyra-trees in the three countries 

 of Panathar, Panyoor and Panangasdoor, and called Palmyra-trees 

 by the names of Pootpad}^, Ponthy, Panay, and Talam. Let me 

 now tell you the various produce and uses of the Palmyra, much 

 extolled by* the people of the earth. 



If you carefully turn up the ground by hoeing, hedge it, and 

 bury Palmyra-stones in rows at the distance of eight spans one 

 stone from the other, they will return favour, and will never fail, 

 just as the renown of the wise of spiritual blessing Avill not. 

 When the stones sprout and become tender plants, if you take 

 good care of them not to let the goat, sheep, cow and wild cow 

 feed upon the plants, they will grow in strength, and with the 

 swords of their stems, armed with indented jags on both their 

 sides, they will destroy the iron age of poverty and protect the 

 earth. When the Palmyra tree grows to the height of two bones 

 length, the roots of the stem that fastened the tree will get dry 

 and fall off in season. A female child and a Palmyra tree, if 

 carefully nurtured, will become fruitful in their tenth year. The 

 principle of the blossom (of the Palmyra tree) develops during- 

 the months of November and December ; the blossom shoots forth 

 as hoarded treasure for the time of exigency in the months of 

 January and February ; and then the tender fruits are formed ; 

 and of these tender fruits some do fall from the trees out of 

 season. People collect and cut them to pieces, and give them to 

 the cows to eat. Sins may thus be removed, and the cows will 

 give plenty of milk. When the tender fruits of the tree have 

 become larger, they are some of them separated from the trees, 

 the integuments and the adjacent parts are pared off, and the pulpj- 

 kernel within is drunk by the people. The drink Avill remove vari- 

 ous diseases, simtdque siqyprimet vires gonorrheoe. Had the celes- 

 tials and the anti-celestials ever tasted of the pnlpy kernel, they 

 would never have gone to churn the milky ocean. When the fruits 

 approach towards ripening, they are some of them separated out of 

 the trees, and laid in the sun for a while ; the pulp is then pared 

 and boiled in cocoanut milk mixed with the husked seeds of pulse, 

 and is then eaten. When the fruits have become well ripened, 

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