COCONUT, or COCOANUT, a palm tree (Cocos nucifero) probably native of tropical America, but widely distributed in warm countries throughout the world. The tree grows naturally. upon sandy soil bordering the sea or not far inland except where planted by man. It is remarlcable as one of the first tree species to gain a foothold upon newly formed tropical islands. Its stem, which often attains a height of 100 feet, is crowned by a rosette of long pinnatisect leaves from 10 to 20 feet lon& gracefully curving upward at their bases and downward at their tips. From among the bases of the leaf-stems appear large .pointed spathes from which proceed yellow or white flowers followed by large hard-shelled nuts. Several of the spathes in various stages of development are usually found upon the trees, which often commence to bear when less than 10 years old and continue productive for more than half a century, yielding about 100 nuts as an annual crop.
Since the tree does not produce well when remote from the coast, it is planted along the shores upon sandy or shelly land where little else of value will grow. The seeds are the sole means of propagation. They are planted in rows in the nursery and when the seedlings are large enough they are transplanted about 20 feet apart, where they are to remain, given clean cultivation for three or four years, and then allowed to shift for themselves, occasional mulches of seaweed, etc., but no manure, being given. The only part of the United States in which the coconut palm bears fruit with rea sonable certainty is the extreme south of Flor ida, but even there it has not become commer cially important. It may be taken as an of the dividing line between the tropical and subtropical regions, since it thrives best in re gions where frost never comes.
This palm is one of the most important economic trees of the world. Its fruit is a staple food either ripe or unripe, raw or pre pared in various ways, in many tropical coun tries. It is also exported to temperate cli mates, where the nuts are used in confection ery and for cake and dessert-making. The oil, of which there is about 70 per cent in the nuts, from which it is obtained by expression or heating in water, is largely used for mak ing soap and candles and for food. (See Coco NUT OIL). The central part of the stems of young plants is used for food, as is also the ter minal bud or ((cabbage." A drink and a kind of sugar are made from the sap of the young spathes. The dried leaves are used for thatch ing, baskets, mats, etc., and the petioles for oars. The wood in the lower portions of the trunks of old trees is commercially important tinder the name of ((porcupine wood" which is used in cabinet-making, etc. The fibrous centres of old stems are used for cordage mak ing, as is also the fibrous husk of the nuts (sec Cont). This latter is widely used for making coconut-matting, which is put down in corridors where there is a great deal of tramning. It is exceedingly durable. The coconut shell is used for drinking cups, bottles, etc., and for orna ment when carved and polished. The fibre of the husks is used by florists as a moisture retaining medium in which to plunge potted plants and in which to propagate various seed lings and cuttings.