THE RAPHIA 169 



lence of the palm-wine which it yields when tapped. 

 In several extensive districts of South Central 

 Africa, the face of the country appears to be 

 covered vidth disused telegraph poles. On a nearer 

 approach, however, they are seen to be the trunks of 

 countless phoenix palms denuded of their fronds and 

 with all the sap sucked dry — mere melancholy mum- 

 mified remnants of their former graceful selves. The 

 Sura or wine yielded by this palm is very refreshing 

 when it is newly drawn and carefully strained, but 

 it quickly ferments and produces intoxication, an 

 advantage much appreciated by the native. We 

 now come to a very beautiful variety, and one not 

 so common as any of those hitherto described. 

 This, the delicious, glaucous-green Raphia, whose 

 long tender fronds are of a more delicate hue than 

 those of any other of the members of the palm 

 families, is perhaps the least numerous of any. 

 The solid centres of the fronds — their stalks so to 

 speak — are of great service by reason of their light- 

 ness and strength. They are largely used for native 

 building purposes. The Raphia does not grow to 

 a great height, perhaps rarely more than 25 feet, 

 and its seeds, like those of the other indigenous 

 African palms, are entirely useless ; but it would 

 be difficult to imagine a more attractive ornamental 

 growth, or one with a greater claim to protection. 

 Wild date palms are also extremely delicate and 

 lovely in appearance ; their fronds are small, even 

 as their trunks are comparatively slender. They 

 abound on the banks of rivers and streams, their 

 stems bending over the water as though anxious 

 that the transparent verdure of their deUcate 



