COCOANUTS IN AMERI AMERICA CAo low they IV wro in I 1 awl acci on the coast of 0 F Ilor I 1 0 lili years year ARO ago quite a nu number aber ot of tropical aruta lave recently been introduced into cultivation CUI ti in this country already on tho the east coast of florida are growing cocoanut coco anut trees being on one plantation it lg is believed that t the first trees ot of this kind in tho the state sprouted from nuts brought from central america and the west indies by the iho gulf stream at key west and about some of tho the old forts cocoanuts coco cocoa anuta nuts were planted at an early day as aa c certain er tain ancient trees now standing bear witness in 1877 a bark freighted with cocoanuts cocoa nuts was waa caught in a storm off the coast of florida and beached near lake worth Ivr orth several thousand of 0 the nuts were saved and planted the satisfactory growth of the seedlings giving an impetus to cultivation the first importation of cocoanuts cocoa nuts of named varieties was made in 1889 when tho the secretary of agriculture obtained through the state depart department t department meat two shipments ot of selected nuts fro from the philippines these with two other shipments in 1890 from the same islands s comprehended fourteen varieties to get so many varieties was no easy task inasmuch as not more than two or three kinds grow in any one district or island of the archipelago and they were nere collected by a skilled botanist who made the tour for the purpose the nuts thus received were forwarded to growers in florida certain specimens from the islands island s of albay and BlI samis were of the smallest known variety which yields little oil and Is of inferior the shells aro are carved by the natives into beautiful drinking cups the meat of a variety called tayo mamis is prepared as a delicious sweetmeat with yams bams and syrup another variety on account of its extreme hardness is known as bahan baban which means millstone tho the word cocoanut coco anut is derived from the portuguese 11 coco meaning monkey because the base resembles a monkeys face the tree was known know 11 to the people of ceylon as early as aa B C the milk being ased by them tor for making ce cement the cocoanut coco anut Is one of the most useful plants root trunk leaf sap and nut are itada to ilela tribute to man the fiber of the husk furnishes excellent yarn and Is preferred to horsehair for stuffing ng beds cushions chairs and saddles it is stronger and ant more elastic than hemp the polynesians twist small cords of this fiber which serves in the construction of houses and canoes where europeans would employ nails the green nuts are grated grate a tor for medicinal use grated cocoanuts cocoa nuts form an ingredient of the east indian condiment curry in the marlive islands labor Is 13 usually paid for in cocoanuts cocoa nuts