248 



THE GOMUTI PALM. 



60,916Z. From Sierra Leone there were also shipped in 1870, 110,243 

 tons and 2502 bushels of palm kernels. 



The Gomuti Palm (Arenga saccTiarifera, Lab. ; Saguerus Bumphii, 

 Roxb. ; Borassus Gomutus, Lom\, Gomutus saccharifera, Spr.) is one of 

 the most useful palms, and occurs in a wild state throughout the 

 islands of the Indian Archipelago, but is more common in the in- 

 terior, principally in the hilly districts, than on the sea-coast, and is 

 also very generally cultivated by the various people who inhabit that 

 region. This palm attains a height of thirty or forty feet, and besides 

 its saccharine sap furnishes a highly valuable black fibrous sub- 

 stance, Ejoo fibre, superior in quality, cheapness, and durability to 

 that obtained from the husk of the cocoanut, and renowned for its 

 power of resisting wet. It is used by the natives of the Indian 

 islands for every purpose of cordage, domestic and naval. Under- 

 neath this material is found a substance of a soft gossamer - like 

 texture, which is imported into China. It is applied as oakum in 

 caulking the seams of ships, and more generally as tinder for kindling 

 fire ; it is for the latter purpose that it is chiefly in request among the 

 Chinese. 



The principal production of this palm is the toddy (from the San- 

 scrit Tdde), which is obtained according to Crawfurd in the following 

 manner : One of the spadices is on the first appearance of fruit beaten 

 on three successive days with a small stick, with the view of deter- 

 mining the sap to the wounded part. The spadix is then cut a 

 little way from its root (base), and the liquor which pours out is 

 received in pots of earthenware, in bamboos, or other vessels. The 

 Gomuti palm is fit to yield toddy when nine or ten years old, and 

 continues to yield it for two years, at the average rate of three 

 quarts a day. 



When newly drawn the liquor is clear, and in taste resembles fresh 

 must. In a very short time it becomes tm-bid, whitish, and some- 

 what acid, and quickly runs into the vinous fermentation, acquiring 

 an intoxicating quality. In this state great quantities are consumed ; 

 a still larger quantity is applied to the purpose of yielding sugar. 

 With this view the liquor is boiled to a syrup, and thrown out 

 to cool in small vessels, the form of which it takes, and in this shape 

 it is sold in the markets. This sugar is of a dark coloui* and greasy 

 consistence, with a peculiar flavour ; it is the only sugar used by the 

 native population. The wine of this palm is also used by the Chinese 

 residing in the Indian islands in the preparation of the celebrated 

 Batavian arrack. 



In Malacca, the Gomuti, there termed Kabong, is principally culti- 

 vated for the juice which it yields for the manufacture of sugar. Like 

 the cocoanut palm it comes into bearing after the seventh year. It 

 produces two kinds of " mayams " or spadices, male and female. The 

 female spadix yields fruit, but no juice, and the male vice versa. 

 Some trees will produce five or six female spadices before they yield 

 a single male one, and such trees are considered unprofitable by the 

 toddy collectors ; but it is said that in this case they yield sago equal 

 in quality, though not in quantity, to the Cycas circinnalis, though it is 



