A History of Agriculture in India v2.c69.s1.39

v2.c69.s1.39

The Coconut Palm. The coconut palm (*Cocos nucifera*) is another. An Arab gives it Arabic form and says *nārjīl*; Hindustan people say *nālīr*, seemingly by popular error. Its fruit is the Hindinut from which black spoons are made and the larger ones of which serve for guitar-bodies. The coco-palm has general resemblance to the date-palm, but has more, and more glistening leaves. Like the walnut the coconut has a green outer husk; but its husk is of fibre on fibre. All ropes for ships and boats and also cord for sewing boat-seams are heard of as made from these husks. The nut, when stripped of its husk, near one end shews a triangle of hollows, two of which are solid, the third, a nothing, easily pierced. Before the kernel forms, there is fluid inside; people pierce the soft hollow and drink this; it tastes like date-palm cheese in solution, and is not bad.