Page:The coco palm by Dahlgren, B. E. (Bror Eric).djvu/16

6 in large quantities in France and Germany. The United States imported in the month of September of 1921, 3,000,000 pounds of husked coconuts and copra. The normal monthly European consumption is at least fifteen to twenty times as great. The production is capable of almost indefinite expansion.

The husk of the coconut is also of considerable value. It furnishes a fibre known as coir (pronounced kir, Portuguese cairo from Malayalam kayar, rope, cord) and is one of the principal brush, belting, matting and rope making materials. Cordage made from it is rough, but light and has the virtue of floating which is advantageous for certain purposes, as for ship's cables. Even paper has been made from coir, at least one factory for the purpose existing in the Straits Settlement. Certain species of coconut are especially cultivated for coir, since they yield large quantities of fibre. Coir and copra production are, however, almost mutually exclusive—copra requiring the mature fruit while a good quality of coir must be made from the green husk.

The wood of the coco palm is known as "porcupine wood." It is furnished only by the outer part of the cylindrical trunk, the central core being simply fibrous. Its usefulness is rather limited and restricted mostly to regions where it grows. The bast-like leaf sheaths are used for native clothing, the leaves for plaiting and thatching, the fibrous core of the trunk, for cordage and brushes, in fact every part of this tropical tree is utilized. From the inner shell of the nut, dippers, cups and other vessels are easily fashioned. The Museum displays a varied collection of these as well as of all other coconut products, such as oil, sugar, candles, cordage, brushes, mats.

The Dutch East Indies, Ceylon, Straits Settlements, Philippines, India, Zanzibar, South America