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DOMESTIC BOTANY. 



which then forms the food of a large number of the people 

 of Para. 



Piassaba (^Attalea funifera and Leopoldina piassaha). 

 Stout growing Brazihan palms, which have a very unsightly 

 appearance on account of their old leaves hanging down, and 

 their stems being covered with loose, shaggy fibre, which is 

 used for making ropes and mats. Shiploads are imported 

 to this country, chiefly for making street and other brooms. 

 The nuts of A. funifera (Coquilla nuts) are about 3 inches 

 long, very hard, and are used for making door handles, beh- 

 pulls, &c. In some parts of Central America the stems of 

 the Attaleas are converted into natural drinking fountains, 

 and when wanted for that purpose a tree is cut down, and a 

 deep cavity scooped out on the side of the stem near the top. 

 The base being slightly raised causes the sap to flow towards 

 and collect in the cavity, from which it can easily be obtained 

 by the passers by. 



Maximiliana regia. A noble palm of the Amazon, 

 rising to the height of 100 feet, and crowned with winged 

 leaves 30 feet long. The spathe containing the fruit is of a 

 hard, woody texture, 5 or more feet in length, and when 

 open 2 feet wide, much resembling a boat, with a long peak 

 like a bowsprit. These spathes are used for a variety of 

 purposes by the Indians, such as nursing cradles, baskets, 

 and even for water vessels. 



Raphia Ruffia. A native of the Mauritius and Madagascar, 

 and is remarkable for its large, pendulous bunches of fruit, 

 which are 12 to 15 feet long, each fruit being about the size 

 of a hen's egg, the shell consisting of closely imbricating 

 scales, the whole bunch weighing from 200 to 300 lbs. This 

 palm is also remarkable for growing in a socket like the 

 " double cocoa-nut." 



Palm Oil {Elceis guineensis). This palm occupies vast 

 territories in tropical West Africa. It is a low-growing 

 species seldom exceeding 20 feet in height, having a fine 

 plumose crown of pinnate leaves, similar to that of the 

 Date Palm {Phoenix dactylifera). It is of great longevity, 



