112! NATURAL AND ECONOMICAL HISTORY 
This species of the Palm family has its habitat in inter- 
tropical Asia, Australia, America, and Africa. It is by 
some authors said to have in ancient times been cultivated 
in Arabia, but Niebuhr informs us that it is not found to 
the north of Mocha. Like all other equinoctial plants, the 
Coco-nut tree becomes less luxuriant as we approach the 
Tropics. At the suggestion of Mr Dunlop, who lately, in 
so able a manner, superintended the work now in progress, 
to clear Saugur Island, at the estuary of the Hooghly, that 
den of tigers is likely soon to be a continued grove of coco 
trees. Saugur lies in N. Lat. 21° SO', which is perhaps as 
far from the Equinoctial Line as this species of palm can 
be cultivated with advantage. In the neighbourhood of 
Lucknow, which lies in N. Lat. 26° 24', the Coco-nut tree 
grows, but it does not produce fruit. I am informed by 
Dr BucHAN, Deputy-inspector of Hospitals, who was for 
some time on duty in Egypt, that it is not found in that 
part of Africa. As the Coco tree seems to require for its 
perfection a mean temperature of not less than 72° Fah- 
renheit, the proper climate for it will therefore be from 
the Equator to the 25th parallel of latitude, and in the 
Equinoctial Zone to an altitude of about 2900 feet. This 
general statement will no doubt admit of some qualification 
in regard to particular situations. There may be exposed 
spots within its favourite climate where the fruit will not 
come to maturity, and warm valleys beyond the above 
limits where the tree will grow, and perhaps produce ripe 
nuts. The Coco tree occupies, therefore, a zone of 25° of 
latitude on both sides of the Equator, which includes nearly 
four-fifths of Africa, one-sixth of Asia, one-third of Ame- 
rica, and excludes Europe. It may be remarked, that trees 
which grow on the immediate neighbourhood of the sea are 
much more luxuriant and productive than those which are 
planted inland or upon elevated situations. The cause of this 
