July, 1912.] 



9 



Oils and Fats, 



three-celled, but at an early stage of 

 development two of the cells become 

 aborti\e, and only one finally matures. 



The fruit is a drupe usually three-sided 

 with rounded angles, more or less ovoid 

 in outline, but varying considerably in 

 shape according to variety. It takes 

 nearly a year to arrive at maturity and 

 then measures about 10 to 12 in. or more 

 in length by about 10 in. in breadth. The 

 outer husk is usually bright green in 

 colour but some varieties produce yellow, 

 red bluish-brown, or black fruits. In 

 cross section the fruit is seen to consist 

 of four distinct layers —the thick fibrous 

 mesocarp, which is situated just below 

 the outer skin or epicarp ; the endocarp 

 or shell of the nut ; and the white 

 endosperm which is usually spoken of 

 as the kernel or " meat." The hard shell 

 of the nut is marked with three " eyes" 

 that correspond to the three carpels of 

 which the fruit is composed. The 

 embryo, which under favourable circum- 

 stances develops into a young palm, is 

 situated just beneath the largest of the 

 three '* eyes." In the early stages of the 

 development the cavity of the nut is 

 filled with water, and the kernel is of a 

 creamy consistence.- As the fruit ripens 

 some of the water is absorbed and the 

 kernel becomes firm in texture. When 

 mature the watery contents of the nut 

 only partly fill the cavity, and may be 

 detected by shaking. At this stage the 

 fruit is considered fit for gathering for 

 use as food or for the pieparation of 

 copra. A green fruit, the total weight 

 of which is about 3 kilos, (6| lb. approxi- 

 mately), has the following percentages 

 of component parts : Husk 30*6, shell 

 10 0, fresh kernel 29'4, water 30*0. 



When germination takes place a sucker 

 develops at the end of the cotyledon of 

 the embryo; and this remains attached to 

 the endosperm of the seed and absorbs 

 the protein, oil, and cellulose reserve 

 material in this. for. the nourishment of 

 the young plant. The first leaf is merely 

 a pale-coloured sheath ; the true leaves 

 develop later. The primary root soon 

 perishes, and is replaced by adventitious 

 roots that spring from the base of the 

 9tem. 



Native Uses op Coconut Palm 

 Products. 



So far as European commerce is con- 

 cerned the principal products derived 

 from the coconut palm are : Coconuts ; 

 copra, the dried kernel of the nut from 

 which coconut oil is expressed ; desiccat- 

 ed coconut, prepared from the fresh 

 kernel and largely employed for confec- 

 tionery purposes ; and coir fibre, which 

 is prepared from the husk of the fruit. 

 In tropical countries where the palm is 

 grown nearly every part of the tree is 

 utilised by the natives : thus the roots 

 are used as an astringent in native medi- 

 cine and are sometimes chewed as a 

 substitute for betel or arecanuts. In 

 Brazil and the Tonga Islands they are 

 interwoven with fibres to form baskets. 

 The trunk, which, when mature, devel- 

 ops a very hard outer shell is used to 

 form rafters and pillars of native build- 

 ings. The inner portion of the trunk is 

 too soft to be of value as timber, but 

 the outer portion is capable of taking 

 a fine polish, and is sometimes used in 

 this country in marquetry work and 

 cabinet making. From its peculiar mark- 

 ings, consisting of ebony-like streaks 

 or ehort lines irregularly disposed over 

 a reddish-brown ground, it is known as 

 "porcupine wood." The leaf-bud or 

 "cabbage" is much appreciated as a 

 vegetable or salad by both natives and 

 Europeans, but to obtain it the tree has 

 to be sacrificed. The fully-grown leaves 

 are put to numerous uses ; they are 

 formed into mats, baskets, roof-coverings 

 for native huts (ataps or cadjans), 

 fences, articles of clothing and orna- 

 ments. The petioles or leaf-stalks are 

 used to make fences and handles for 

 tools, and when cut into short lengths 

 and frayed at the ends they serve as 

 brushes. The midribs of the leaflets 

 furnish a strong elastic fibre that is 

 used for making baskets, strainers, and 

 native fishing tackle, The sheaths pro- 

 duced at the leaf-bases consist of 

 triangular pieces of fibrous material 

 having a woven appearance ; they are 

 cut into various shapes to form mats, 

 and are also used as strainers for 

 "toddy" and oil (see below). In the 



