324 FOREST TREES. 



590 Ravenala madagascariensis, Sonneb. 



The traveller's tree. Introduced from Madagas- 

 car and cultivated in a few local gardens for orna- 

 ment, or as a curiosity. 



a 



LXXII. PALMACE^. 



591 Areca Catechu, Linn. Kan. Adike. 



References —PAar??;,. Lid; Diet, of Econ. Prod 

 of Lid. ; Fl. of Brit. Ind. 



The Areca- nut or betel-nut palm. An evergreen tree 

 having atall, slender, annulate trunkof uniform thipk- 

 ness, surmoiinted by a small crown of pinnate leaves 

 4 — eft.inleugth. In favourable situations, the simple 

 trunk attains to a height of nearly 100 feet without 

 a bend, but in less suitable localities the average 

 height is 50 — 70 feet. Areca-nut gardens are a profit- 

 able source of income both to the cultivator and the 

 State, the latter deriving a large revenue from a 

 halut or custom duty levied upon the nut. The 

 finest betel-nut gardens are situated on the confines 

 of the Malnad, where there is rich soil and plenty of 

 water. Places that are specially noted for the ex- 

 cellence of their nuts are Birur, Nagar, Periyapatna 

 Chiknayakanhalli, Madgiri, and Channapatna. In 

 cultivation, the tree is often associated with the 

 cocoa-nut palm, although exclusive plantations are 

 numerous and admittedly the most profitable in the 

 Malnad. As a masticatory, with lime and the betel- 

 leaf, the demand for Areca-nut is practically unli- 

 mited in the east. The consumption is enormous, 

 and India is said to require 30,500,000 pounds of 

 the nut annually in addition to her own produce, 

 •v^hich is very great. In Mysore, there are two dis- 

 tinct varieties of the species, one producing large 

 and the other small fruits. There are also numer- 

 ous preparations of the nuts for ceremonial, and 

 marketable purposes. 



