36 VACOA OR SCREW PINES——NIPAH. 
Mauritius and Bourbon, species are also found in the southern 
parts of India, as well as in the Straits and Burma. “The 
leaves are composed of tough longitudinal fibres, white and 
glossy, which enable them to be employed for covering huts, 
making matting, as well as for cordage, in the South Sea 
Islands; and in Mauritius for making sacks for coffee, sugar, 
and grain.” (‘ Himal. Bot.,’ p. 408.) The species which is best 
known in India is the Keora or Ketgee, the Kaldera bush of the 
Madras Peninsula, called Pandanus odoratissimus by botanists, 
on account of the exquisite perfume of its flowers. Dr. 
Roxburgh (‘ Fl. Indica,’ iii, p. 741) has, under this plant, men- 
tioned the uses to which the species most common in the Mau- 
ritius is applied ; which, as well as some of the other species, is 
known there by the name Vacoa or Baquois. It appears to he 
the Pandanus sativus of Du Petit Thouars, but which Mr. Henley 
mentions as P. Vacoa. He having observed the valuable uses 
to which the plant was applied in the Mauritius, recommended 
its introduction into India; in some of the dry southern parts 
of which, it would, no doubt, though slow of growth, be a 
valuable acquisition, from the facility with which good sacking 
may be manufactured from its leaves. Mr. Henley describes 
this most useful Vacoa of the Mauritius to grow to the height 
of thirty feet, when permitted to do so; but, in general, the 
cropping of the leaves, which commences in the third year, 
keeps the plant down to the height of from six to ten feet. 
The plant is remarkable for the aerial leafless roots which it 
sends down as supports for its stem, and which are of so 
fibrous a nature as to be employed for making paint brushes 
for common purposes. The leaves are cut every second year, 
beginning when the plant is three years old, and each plant 
yields enough for two large bags. The preparation must 
begin with the leaves immediately they are removed from the 
trees, and consists, first, in splitting the leaves into fillets, 
which are from three fourths to one inch broad at the base, 
but taper to a point, and are from three to four feet in length. 
One of them will support the weight of a bag of sugar, or 
about 140 1b., without breaking. Mr. Henley states that the 
leaves of the other species with which he is acquainted are 
comparatively weak. (‘ Jour. Agric. Soc. of India,’ 1843, p. 92.) 
The Nipah Palm (Mia fruticans), which, from the appear- 
