168 



THE COCO-NUT 



CHAP. 



several of these extra joints have to be used in old 

 groves. When the nuts are cut in this way the crowns 

 are not cleaned, and the trees thrive on this kind of 

 neglect. Another advantage is that the trees are not 

 notched. And this is the most expeditious way in 

 which nuts can be cut down. There would seem to be 

 somewhat more danger of cutting greener nuts than are 

 wanted than there is when the tree is climbed ; but 

 the gatherers are so well acquainted with their business 

 that they usually know exactly what they are getting. 



When the trees are to be climbed the commonest 

 practice is to cut notches at convenient intervals on the 

 alternate sides of the tree, so that the climber holds the 

 tree with his hands and walks up it. If the notches are 

 not cut in too young wood, and are not made too deep, 

 they do not seem to injure the tree ; but these condi- 

 tions cannot be guaranteed. In groves of notched trees 

 there are always many individuals showing deep decayed 

 spots, starting from the notches. The notches must 

 also permit occasional attack by red beetles and fungi. 

 The safest practice is certainly never to touch a healthy 

 tree with a knife. 



In the extreme west of Africa the natives stick pegs 

 in the side of the tree and use these as steps. 



It is possible to climb the trunk and cut down the 

 nuts without any special arrangements whatever. This 

 seems from Prudhomme's account to be the practice in a 

 large part of Madagascar, where the native climbers are 

 said to become so expert that any special devices would 

 seem superfluous. 



In many places, for instance in Ceylon and India, it 

 is common practice to facilitate the climbing by passing 

 the feet through a loop just long enough to hold them 

 where they will hold the trunk most tightly. The loop 

 is most effective if twisted once between the feet. 

 Holding the trunk with the feet and the hands the 

 climber goes up it like a measuring worm. A longer 

 rope or band passing around the trunk of the tree and 

 the hips or waist of the climber is sometimes used as a 



