Coconuts

19. Coconuts

The ye-tsi, as regards the trunk and leaves, closely resembles the coir-palm and areca-palm.

The fruit grows in the leaves in bunches of several nuts of the size of a 5-pint vessel. It is the biggest of fruits, with the sole exception of the jack-fruit.

When cut, the outer skin is at first green and tender. But after some time, it turns yellow. When kept a long time, the skin shrivels and dries up.

The nut shell contained in the outer skin can be made into vessels. The pulp inside the shell is of a jade-like white, and of an agreeable taste, resembling that of cow’s milk.

The juice inside the pulp is very clear and fragrant when fresh, but when stale it turns muddy and no longer drinkable. In the states of Nanpi, they make wine out of the juice of its flower mixed with syrup.

20. OAK-GALLS (橡子).

The Mo-shi-tzi comes from Herat (勿斯里) in the Ta-shi country.

The tree resembles the camphor-tree, it blossoms once a year and bears a fruit similar to the Chinese acorn (橡栗), and called sha-mo-tz‘ü (沙莫子), or p‘u-lu (蒲盧), and which is edible.

The following year it grows what is called ma-ch‘a (馬茶), which is the same as mo-shi-tz‘ü. The year following appears again sha-mo-tz‘ü, and the mo-shi-tz‘ü grow in alternate years, so it is a valuable article.

What a wonderful thing to see one root produce different fruits!

21. EBONY (烏榄子)

Wu-mön-tü resembles the coir-palm (棕榄樹).

It is an erect tree of olive-green colour, growing to a height of an hundred feet and more, with a thick green and highly luxuriant foliage.

Its wood is as hard as iron and lends itself to the manufacture of woodware, being glossy like lacquered ware, for which reason it is generally considered a precious wood (珍木).

22. SAPAN-WOOD

Su-mu comes from Cambodia.

The tree resembles the pine and juniper. The leaves are like those of the tung-tsing tree

Its habitat is in the uncultivated parts of the hilly country, where the people are allowed to cut it.

When the bark is removed and the wood dried under the sun, it becomes a deep red colour and may be used in dying purple.

It is popularly known as wa-mu.