BETEL NUT. The name betel is applied to two different plants, which in the East are very closely associated in the pur poses to which they are applied. The betel nut is the fruit of the Areca or betel palm, Areca Catechu, and the betel leaf is the pro duce of the betel vine or pan (Piper Betel), a plant allied to that which yields black pepper. The areca palm is a native of Malaya and is extensively cultivated in the south of India, Ceylon, Siam, the Malay Archipelago and the Philippine islands. It is a graceful tree with a straight, slender, unbranched stem reaching 40 or soft. in height and about i 2 f t. in circumference, and bearing a crown of six to nine very large spreading pinnate fronds. The fruit is about the size of a small hen's egg, and within its fibrous rind is the seed or so-called nut, the albumen of which is very hard, and has a prettily mottled grey and brown appearance. The chief purpose for which betel nuts are cultivated and collected is for use as a masticatory—their use in this form being so wide spread among oriental nations that it is estimated that one-tenth of the whole human family indulge in betel chewing. For this use the fruits are annually gathered between the months of August and November, before they are quite ripe, and deprived of their husks. They are prepared by boiling in water, cutting up into slices, and drying in the sun, by which treatment the slices assume a dark brown or black colour. When chewed a small piece is wrapped up in a leaf of the betel vine or pan, with a pellet of shell lime or chunam ; and in some cases a little cardamom, turmeric or other aromatic is added. Mastication of the material causes a copious flow of brick-red saliva, which dyes the mouth, lips and gums. The habit blackens the teeth, but is asserted by those addicted to it to strengthen the gums, sweeten the breath and stimulate the digestive organs. Betel nuts are further used as a source of catechu, which is procured by boiling the nuts in water; the catechu is then extracted.