THE ISLAND OF CEYLON. 
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A tough whitish skin, like that found on the betel, covers 
the body of the tree, and is also employed by the natives 
to hold their liquor. The nut contains a sort of milk ; 
and by incision the body of the tree affords a very plea- 
sant liquor, not so strong or intoxicating as toddy. 
The sugar-tree is a species of the palm found in several 
parts of the island. It is a very tall tree, and has around 
its trunk a number of rings which increase with its growth. 
It bears a flower distinguished by the variety of its colours. 
On cutting off the flower, and making an incision in the 
place from which it sprung, a juice distils which by a 
slight process of boiling and straining yields as good a sugar 
as that extracted from the cane, and far superior to the 
jaggery. The commercial advantages to be derived from 
the proper cultivation of this plant need not be insisted 
upon ; and experiments will no doubt speedily be made to 
ascertain whether this tree might not be made a substitute 
to the cane. 
But it is not sugar alone that Ceylon seems destined to 
afford to the general use of the Western world; the tea- 
plant has also been discovered native in the forests of 
this island. I have in my possession a letter from an 
officer in the 80 th regt. wherein he states that he had found 
the real tea-plant in the woods of Ceylon, of a quality 
equal to any that ever grew in China; and that it was in 
his power to point out to Government the means of cul- 
tivating it in a proper manner. The vast advantages to be 
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