COCO-NUT PRODUCTS 181 



It appears from this table that the average yield of 

 alcohol from the toddy is 6*1 per cent by volume, equiva- 

 lent to an original sucrose content of 9*5 per cent. Since 

 the sugar in the fresh sap is from 3 to 7 per cent above 

 this, there has evidently been a very high loss. This is 

 in part due to fermentations which are unavoidable, but 

 in large part to careless handling. Along with the 

 inversion of the sugar, and the alcoholic and acetic 

 fermentations, there is always more or less activity of 

 putrefactive organisms. This can largely be prevented 

 by cleanliness. An analysis of the figures given in the 

 last table for distillery No. 325 shows that the daily 

 production of proof spirits by the distillery was 268 

 litres, or 0*255 litres of proof spirits per day for each 

 tree. Now, if the profit of the proof spirits be figured, 

 for the distillers in the Philippines, from the data in the 

 preceding tables, the profit per day per tree would seem 

 to be 3*8 centavos, or a total profit for the year for each 

 tree of PI 5 '96. 



Vinegar. — It is generally stated by writers on coco- 

 nut and its product from various countries that a 

 superior vinegar can be made from the coco-nut toddy, 

 and for local use such vinegar is made in various places. 

 This vinegar is usually regarded as having a superior 

 flavour, and it keeps well. The only reason that it is 

 not made on a large scale and has never become an 

 article of commerce is probably the high price of the 

 toddy as compared with other sources of vinegar of 

 good quality. For the manufacture of vinegar, care 

 must be taken to prevent any putrefaction in the sap. 

 This is done by the use of bark rich in tannin or by 

 coating the vessels with lime. The tannin will pre- 

 cipitate a large part of the nitrogenous material in the 

 sap, and it is this material which is the essential subject 

 of putrefactive fermentation. 



The advisability of using trees for the production of 

 toddy is a purely local business question. So far as there 

 is a local demand for the toddy, a tree will always yield a 

 greater gross revenue if tapped than if used for the 



