He hacks off a bunch of the nuts and attaches it to the end of the rope. It is then lowered to another negro or to the ground. The nuts are in bunches of a dozen or two, and are covered with a green, smooth, shining covering.
After the bunches of nuts are all removed from the tree, the climber throws down the rope and comes down hand over hand.
These nuts are so large that a single one often yields two glasses of milk.
We found that the natives made boats and furniture, as well as houses, from the trunk of this palm tree. They extract from its roots a remedy for fever. The foot stalks of the leaves are made into combs. The leaves are used for thatching huts and in making baskets, mats and hats.
The fibrous material at the base of the foot stalks is used for sieves, and woven into clothing. A medicine is made from the flowers, and from the flower-stalks palm wine is made. From the juice is made sugar and vinegar. From the fruit or nut, water, jelly and meat are obtained. Oil is extracted from the kernel; and the refuse is used for food for fowls and cattle, as well as for manure.
From the husks ropes, brooms, brushes, and bedding are made. The shells are used as lamps, cups, spoons, and scoops.
It has been called the poor man's tree because it gives him food, drink, medicine and material with which to build his home.
The tropics could not do without the palm. It is more to that region than the pine is to the north.
THE CALABASH TREE.
Another very useful tree to the natives is the calabash, or gourd tree. It provides him with many household utensils. In height and size it resembles an apple tree. Its leaves are wedge-shaped and its flowers are large, whitish and fleshy.