32 PALMS. 



southern Asia. Broad leaved Livistonas are amonjr the fan 

 Palms which adorn the o-ardcns of the Riviera. X. cliiu- 

 ciisis and aiis/ralis are often seen in our liotdiouses. 

 Other palmate-lea\'ed Palms j^rown on the Riviera are, 

 the handsome, glaucous Braliea Jxorzli; the stateh' Sa/xr/s^ 

 whose tenaceous fibres are used for making ropes, hats, 

 baskets and sacks ; and the important Carnauba ( Copcr- 

 uicia ctvifrra) of Brazil. In the Brazilian pro\'incc of 

 Ceara most of the huts are thatched witli the leaves of 

 this latter, and its fibres are used as straw. The hard 

 stem of this Palm supplies \A'ood for building and car- 

 penlr\', its roots \'ield a medicine, its bitter fruits a nour- 

 ishing food, and from its sap s^•rup and Arrak are pre- 

 pared. In short this Palm is a good instance of the 

 manifold uses to which a single species of this invaluable 

 familv can be put in the tropics. It (jwes its specific 

 name of "cerifera", as also that of 'AN'ax Palm", to its 

 most important product — vegetable wax — which is 

 secreted in the form of scales on its leaves. These scales 

 are beaten off the A'oung, dried leaves and then boiled 

 in water, when the licjuid wax collects on the surface. 

 It is then mixed with tallow and made into candles which 

 burn with a pleasant perJume. 



Bordighera is iiot satisfied with exporting its Palm- 

 fronds for ceremonial use. An attempt has been made 

 to turn some of the handsome exotics to account in tlie 

 jiianufacture of artistic objects. Thus an industry has 

 arisen which centres in Herr Winter's nurser\- garden. 

 The Date Palm, Chamaerops, Livisiona auslral/s and 

 Pritchardia iilifera furnish the materials for this work. 



