THE COCOANUT PALM. 



231 



of the cocoanut is drunk ; it is an agreeable, nutritive, and healthy- 

 beverage. The gelatinous albumen when young is easily detached 

 from the shell with a spoon, and may be eaten with satisfaction. It is 

 a delicate food, which is too little appreciated by Europeans, as it 

 contains all the constituents of wholesome nourishment. As it ripens 

 the albumen hardens and becomes almost horny, and the oil increases, 

 although in this state it is still edible, but indigestible, and only 

 eaten associated with other food. The following shows the com- 

 position of a young cocoanut and a ripe cocoanut : 



V'oung Nut. Ripe Nut. 



Husk and shell 1-760 .... 816 



Kernel 0-090 .. .. 434 



Water 0-300 .. .. 250 



Total 2-150 .. .. 1-500 



The percentage of the albuminous and alimentary portions of the 

 young and mature fruit is as follows, according to the analysis of 

 Mr. J. Lepine, of Pondicherry : 



Water. 





Young Nut. 



Ripe Nut. 





1-40 .. 



1-64 





0-47 



0-26 





0-05 .. 



0-06 



Chloride of sodium . , 



0-09 .. 



0-10 





0-06 .. 









o'os 



Acetate of lime and potash 



0-31 .. 



0-33 







0-16 





, 97-62 .. 



.. 97-47 



Albumen. 







1-00 



0-48 





0-33 .. 



0-71 





1-46 ., 



0-30 



Oil 



2-31 



.. 30-00 





. 4-40 .. 



14-41 



Potash and other salts . . 



.. 0-12 .. 



1-10 





0-04 .. 







, 90-34 ., 



53- 00 



Cocoanut Oil. — Copra or copperah, the dry albuminous pulp, con- 

 tains 54-3 per cent, of oil; dried at 100° it yields 66 per cent. This 

 oil, which is the most important product, is prepared in various ways. 

 If it is intended for perfumery use, and is required colourless, the fol- 

 lowing process is employed. The kernel is plunged in water and 

 boiled for a few minutes, then taken out and grated and placed in the 

 oil press ; the emulsion thus obtained is boiled until the oil rises to the 

 surface. This process, however, is not cheap enough for the ordinary 

 practice of commerce, and common rude oil mills are used. These 

 cost about lOZ., and will last for five years. They are worked by a 

 man, a boy, and two oxen; working eight hours a day they will 

 operate on 130 lbs. of copra, from which they will obtain 41 litres. 

 The characteristics for determining the purity of the cocoanut oil 



