DATE— COCOANUT 273 



age seeming no hindrance. Some of the Italian date trees 

 prove their longevity for it was over one thousand years 

 ago that those of Bordighera were planted by the monks. 

 Cocoanuts, like dates, contain only a small per cent, of 

 nitrogen, but, unHke that other palm fruit, provide one of 

 the most delightful f©rms of oil a,nd in as generous quantity 

 as the datg gives sugar. According to the tradition of 

 colder climes the coeo^nut is indigestible, but in the balmy 

 countries where the eocoa-palm flourishes one does not 

 hear of this, chiefly because its fruit is there eaten in proper 

 condition: when at the right stages to be offered human 

 stomachs. The white "nut "-lining is soft enough 

 at first (when half ' ' ripe ") , to be eaten with a spoon, and 

 the milk is not thick and white but clear, somewhat sweet, 

 and most refreshing up to perfect maturity. It is said 

 there is nothing more easily digested, assimilated and 

 fattening than fresh cocoanut milk, and it is recommended 

 to invalids to be as freely indulged in as possible: perhaps 

 the juice of six cocoanuts a day to begin with, as a restora- 

 tive. (Fresh cocoanut oil is sometimes prescribed as a 

 substitute for cod liver oil.) There are people whose en- 

 thusiasm over it goes so far as to claim the probability of 

 cocoanut milk being that fountain of youth so ardently 

 sought and so persistently concealed since time itself was 

 young. But, as with many other fruits, the cocoanut is 

 gathered before maturity for shipment and even where cold 

 does not effect it on the long journey it is impossibly but 

 that it should be the reverse of improved on reaching its 

 destination. However, one may get something of the 

 flavour of both milk and meat in the northlands and need 

 not shun them if one uses the cocoanut from the shell and 

 so gets it unadulterated, and uses always suffiQient of all 

 kinds of fruit to keep one's digestive apparatus in good 

 condition. 



