“In what particular country was that, papa?”
“Wherever palms grew at first, but by degrees neighbouring countries adopted the palm as a sign of victory, and we read of them in every profane history as well as in the Bible, where you know the palm is often named.”
“Was there any reason besides the beauty of the leaf for this, papa?”
“You shall judge. The palm leaf, even when cut from the tree, is not subject to decay. In the countries where it grows it is used to thatch houses, nay, even for the walls when woven into mats. Palm mats make soft bedding for men, and safe cradles for infants; and I have seen labourers in rice grounds well sheltered from sun and heavy rain by a hood and cloak made of one leaf of a palm-tree. The fibres of many kinds of palm are woven into coarse cloth, and most of them furnish materials for strong and durable ropes.
“The juice that flows from the top of several palms, when a small cut has been made either in the bark or at the foot-stalk of a leaf, is as refreshing as Jane’s whey, when fresh; and after standing a few days a strong spirit is often distilled from it. The juice from the date palm, indeed, when boiled, produces a very sweet, dark-coloured sugar, called jagree.
“The palm-tree wood is useful in building; it resists the attacks of all insects, even those of the white ant, and is perhaps the most durable wood in the world.”
“How can we know that, papa?”
“A piece of timber was lately brought to England from the ruins of Babylon. It was found in the ceiling of a chamber where it must have been at the very least for two thousand years. Your dear friend Mr. Brown examined it, and found it was palm-tree wood.”
“How wonderful! but, papa, has the palm-tree any fruit fit to eat?”
“What think you of cocoa-nuts and dates? You like them both, I think; and in many countries these fruits furnish great part of the food of the natives during many months of the year. And from the refuse cocoas and the seeds and nuts of other palms a sweet oil, good for food as well as for lamps, is pressed.”