June 1, 1865.] THE TECHNOLOGIST. 



SUGAR FROM THE ARENGA PALM. 487 



at two, although three is not an uncommon case. When sickness or other 

 occupation prevents the owner from manufacturing jaggery, the juice is 

 put into a jar, where, in a few clays, it is converted into excellent vine- 

 gar, equal in strength to that produced by the vinous fermentation of 

 Europe. Each mayam will yield toddy for at least three months, often 

 for five, and fresh mayams make their appearance before the old ones 

 are exhausted ; in this way a tree is kept in a state of productiveness 

 for a number of years, the first mayam opening at the top of the stem, 

 the next lower clown, and so on, until at last it yields one at the bottom 

 of the trunk, with which the tree terminates its existence." 



The fruit, according to Crawford, is about the size of a medlar, and 

 produced in such abundance that a single spadix is more than a load for 

 a man. The fleshy outer covering of the fruit affords a juice of a 

 highly stimulating and corrosive nature, which, when applied to the 

 skin, occasions great pain and inflammation. The inhabitants of the 

 Moluccas were in the practice of using, in their wars, in the defence of 

 posts, a liquor afforded by the maceration of this fruit, which the Dutch 

 appropriately denominated "hell water." The seed, or rather the 

 albumen, freed from this noxious covering, is made into sweetmeat by 

 the Chinese. 



" Like the true sago-palm," continues the last-quoted author, " the 

 Gomute affords a medullary matter, from which a farina is prepared." 

 In Java, it is the only source of this substance, which in the western 

 and poorer part of the island is used in considerable quantity, and 

 offered for sale in all the markets. It is smaller in quantity than the 

 pith of the true sago-tree, more difficult to extract, and inferior in 

 quality, having a certain peculiar flavour, from which the farina of the 

 true sago is free. 



Griffith, who has given a good description and figure of this palm, 

 says : — " Mr. Lewis informs me that trees that have died after the ripen- 

 ing of the whole crop of fruit — which is the natural course of events — 

 are almost hollow, and particularly adapted for making troughs, 

 spouts, or channels for water, and that they last extremely well under- 

 ground. In short, it is so valuable a palm, that it early attracted 

 Dr. Roxburgh's attention, who introduced it largely into Hindos- 

 tan. The natives of Bengal, however, have never taken to it, pre- 

 ferring the coir of the cocoa-nut, and the toddy and sugar of Phoenix 

 sylvestris." 



The following are Dr. Roxburgh's words : — " With respect to the 

 various important uses of this most elegant palm, I have nothing to 

 offer myself, but refer to what Rumphius and Marsden have written on 

 the subject. At the same time, I cannot avoid recommending to every 

 one who possesses land in India, particularly such as is low and near the 

 coasts, to extend the cultivation thereof as much as possible. The wine 

 itself, and the sugar it yields, the black fibres for cables and cordage 



