Page:From Afong, Photographer.pdf/54

 ARECA (BETEL-NUT) PALMS, IN BLOOM.

The nuts of the Areca palm are called betel-nuts because they are chewed with betel leaves and lime. Aside from this fact they might be called beetle nuts because of their striking resemblance to a pigeram beetle. They are plentiful in south Formosa where the disgusting habit of chewing the nuts is universal among the people. A handful of these nuts wrapped in a betel leaf with a little slacked lime is the first offering of friendly greeting that a lady makes to her gentleman caller. The effect of the practice is to utterly destroy the teeth before middle age is attained. Fans are made of the lower casing of the first leaves.