136 NATURAL AND ECONOMICAL HISTORY 
smaller, as 65 is to 60. In the same paper (Transactions 
of the Society of Arts, vol. ii.), he says, " Coir is certainly 
the very best material yet known for cables, on account of 
its great elasticity and strength.'" 
The natives sew the planks together which compose their 
boats with coir-yarns. When twisted into yarns adapted 
for being manufactured into cordage, it is valued in Ceylon 
at about L. 2 per candy (500 lb.) Large quantities of this 
substance are exported to the different ports in India. 
Under the Dutch Government about 3,000,000 lb. were 
annually manufactured in the island. The quantity of 
coir exported from Ceylon in 1813, amounted to 4,048^ 
candies, and each candy may be valued at 28 rix dollars, 
total amount rix dollars 137,649. Very lately a manufac- 
tory for the making of coir-cordage has been established, 
upon a large scale at Ilecif, near to Pernambuco, on the 
coast of Brazil. 
Coir is much used in India in place of hair to stuff mat- 
tresses, cushions for couches, saddles, &c. It is also em- 
ployed to make brooms and brushes to white-wash houses. 
The kernel of the ripe coco-nut is not unlike the sub- 
stance of an almond either in taste or consistence *. It is 
® The following chemical analysis of the kernel of the coco-nut I have 
extracted from the Journal de Pharmacie, torn. ii. p. 100 : — 
" La partie charnue a le consistance de nos noix fraiches ; mais elle est 
plus tenace, d'un blanc eclatant, et d'une saveur douceatre." 
" II resulte que le noyau, ou la partie charnue de la noix, est compose de 
beaucoup d'huile grasse, se figeant aisement, ce qui peut engager a lui 
donner le nom de beurre vegetal, d'un liquide aqueux, d'albumine, et de Sucre 
liquide (raucoso-sucre)." 
" En jetant un coup d'cc-il sur cette analyse, nous voyons que la noix du 
cocotier est une substance tres nourrissante ; car I'albumine est connue 
comnie nourrissante quand meme ellc ne servirait ici qu'a animaliser les 
putres matiercs vcgctalcs. Le sucie ct Thnilc sont cgalcment connus comme 
