58 NOTES ON KITTOOL FIBRE. 



under the various names of Coonda-panna (Tarn.) ; Eriin-pana (Mai.) ; 

 Teeroogoo (Tel.) ; Ramguoah, Bonkhejur, and Bura-fiavar. 



This palm is a native of the jungles of Malabar, Bengal, Assam, and 

 various other parts of India, where it often grows with teak and Avild 

 mango trees. In Ceylon it is found in the south-western and Kandyan 

 provinces. Humboldt has justly remarked, that the form of the leaf of 

 Caryota is as singular among palms as that of the Gingko (Salisburia 

 adiantifolia, Smith) is among Coniferce. This singularity consists not 

 only in the leaves being bipinnatisect, but also in their ultimate division, 

 having the shape of the fin and tail of a fish ; features so peciiliar, that by 

 means of it the genus Caryota may at once be distinguished from all other 

 palms. The leaves are very large, measuring 18 or 20 feet in length, and 

 from 10 to 12 across. They are attached to a strong skin as hard as a board, 

 but full of fibres which are used as thread and made into cordage. 

 Brushes, brooms, baskets, caps, and similar articles are manufactured of it. 

 From the peculiar odour attaching to the kittool fibre on importation, it 

 would seem to be steeped in cocoa-nut oil to darken it, and to make it more 

 pliable and less brittle. 



Within the last four years, large imports of the brown fibre in the 

 natural state have been made ; and it is steeped in rape-oil in this country 

 to darken it and improve the quality. The strong brushes made with 

 kittool are found well adapted for sweeping butchers' chopping-blocks, 

 brewers' hogsheads, and such-like purposes. 



Major Heber Drury, in his work on ' The Useful Plants of India,' 

 states that " a fibre prepared from this palm is used for fishing-lines and 

 bow-strings, which is the Indian gut of the English market. It is strong 

 and durable, and will resist for a long time the action of water, but is 

 liable to snap if suddenly bent or knotted." 



In some ' Observations on the Vegetable Products of Ceylon,' by my 

 friend Mr W. C. Ondaatje, surgeon, of Colombo, with a copy of which he 

 has favoured me, he states that the black fibre from the leafstalks of the 

 kittool is manufactured into rope, which is of great strength and dura- 

 bility, being used for tying wild elephants. The Eodyahs, or outcasts 

 among the Kandyans, make this rope, generally with considerable skill, 

 as it is both regidar and compact. There is also a woolly material found 

 in the petioles or base of the leaves, which is stated to be sometimes used 

 for caulking ships. The leaves keep falling off as long as the tree con- 

 tinues to grow ; but when it has attained its full growth, they adhere for 

 many years to the stem, and so fresh ones are produced. 



In Ceylon there are three varieties of kittool-gaha, the principal 

 species of the palm (Caryota urens). The other two species of the genus, 

 katu-kittool (C. Jiorrida), and Do-talu (C. mitis), are also met with ; but 

 whether these furnish any of the kittool fibre of commerce, we have no 

 definite information. 



The kittool palm yields an uncommonly sweet sap of very pleasant 

 taste and wholesome qualities. During the hot season, a single tree will 



