A HUCELip PALM. OF Atti TRRK.il THR COCOANUT IS TUB MOST VALUABLE. The Sea Vehicle ' for Its Wldt DlstrlhuMnn nnd Propagation Many true! to Which It It Tut. OF the 080 or mors known palm, the cocoamit palm is at ouco the moot gtaoeful.the most picturesque and tho most useful, It Is to this tree that Puicbas quaintly refers In his Pilgrim age, when ba mji: "Jlut of greater admiration is the conuetree. being the most profitable tree In the world, of which in the Island of Maldina they make and furnish wholo ships." A farther i('.ca of its numerous uses is hinted at in the oriental saying that: ,'Tue attributes-of the cocoa would All Tolume." The Ceylouese claim that it has as many uses as there are days in the year, in substantiation of which they exhibited at the World's Colum bian Exposition just 805 uses of this wonderful palm. With many other plants that bare been cultivated by man since prebis torio times the exaot oriniii of the co coa is not known, though it doubtless came originally from some group of islands either in the Taoitio or the In dian Ocean. The greatest dillleulty in looating its first home is due to the wonderful provision nature has made in its (ruits for the distribution of the apeoies. The preponderance of fact and ancient historinl data would seem to point, however, to an East Indian rather than n Paoiflo source. Its pres ence on the east coast of South Amer ica, on the coast and islands of the Gulf ol Mexico and the Carribean Sea nnd on the west coast of Africa is known to be due to recent introduc tion by civilized men. The cocoanut palm varies in height from fifty to 100 feet. Its slender trunk is never rigidly erect, like thai of tho royal palm, but leans in grace ful curve, ascending in its growth. Its foliaged summit is o crown of -drooping and ever waving feathery leaves, always grandly picturesque. Although the tree is now cultivated in all tropical countries, often at quite a A COCOANUT GROVE. distance from the sea, it thrives best nd produces the greatest number of fine fruits near the beach, where it requires but sis weeks to mature a crop ol from five to ten nuts, each tree continuing this production until its annual yield aggregates from eighty to 100 fruits. The oocoa presents one of the finest examples of nature's most provident measures for seed sowing and natural distribution of teed, the nut being carefully and uooessfully nurtured to the end that it may become a floating vehicle for the germ of a new life that It contains. The nut, when ripe and ready to fallYrom its lofty height and roll into the sea, has a bard, woody hell, inolosing considerable air space nd the elements of growth in the form of thick white albumen- the meat This nut is surrounded with mass of lightly meshed fiber, whioh till further augments its buoyancy, nd the whole is invested in thin waterproof akin which enables the fruit to float abont in the currents for an indefinite period, until it ia finally cast np on some far off isle or main land and, rolled inward by wave and wind, finds final resting plaoe where it may germinate, by throwing out and COOOA1TOT W JTUBK. upward single leaf and rooted from one of the three blaok-stoppered boles in its smaller end. This readily ac counts for its widediBtribution.aud the luxuriance and vigor of the ooooa palm growth that characteristically fringes ven the smallest and mofct remote coral islet in the tropio seas. Eaoh nut, when green, contains bout a quart of delicious water, afford' tag when freshly cut from the tree coolest drink to be obtained in the dxiei tropio countries; Ia course of time, as the fruit ripens, this water becomes id most part of the consis tence of cream, and finally deposits within the great embryo sack a thick layer of "meat" in which the relatively ftitiv Atnbrrn litis. This nnatincr con stitutes almost the entire food of the natives of many countries, and tbat of fllCRMHf ATTNft COCOA. their domesticated animals. Even the skinny, fearsome dog that detects in his every approach to man an oppor tunity to receive a cuff or a kick will rush frantically to your aide should you pick np a coconut nnd break it, sure of his poor meal within the shell yon later cast away. The spathe that contains the flowers yields on iucision a quantity of deli cious liquid that, when fresh, is called "toddy." This liquid on fomenta tion produoos palm wine, a dolightful drink, as well as a useful yeast for the baker who is fortunate enough to have flour. By distillation toddy yields about tweuty-tlve per cont. of "ar rack," the true "ittrong drink" of the native tribes. By boiling it is con verted into a tolerable sugar, or jag gery, the ouly hweot known to him. Eight gallons of t)ddy yiold the Cin galese two gallons of a dolicions liquid which they call "pervin," a sort of thin maple syrup, so to speak. The shell of the cocoanut takea high polish, and when cut in two forms convenient and durable cup or other needful vessol. lhe husk or coir sur rounding the nut yields the best fiber possible for braiding into ropes or cables, especially as such cables float and are practically indestructible by water. One of these cables, four inches thick and 250 feet long, together with numerous other coir articles, can bi seen in the galleries of the Field Col umbian Museum. Tho Polynesians twist and braid this fiber into small cords that serve in house construction where we would nse nails, while the whole hnsk needs but to be out in two lengthwise to form an exoellent pair of scrubbing brushes. The utility of the nut does not cease nere, lor the ripe meat yields, on pressure or heat ing in the snn, a fine oil for oooking or illuminating purposes, as well as for the toilet. Nothing obtainable is more refreshing under the blazing tropio sun than anointing the body with olean, sweet coooanut oil. Large quantities of this oil are abipped to various countries, where it is used in makingpharmaceutio preparations and in the manufacture of candles and soaps. Not only does the fruit furnish the native with fire, water and food, but the tee his house and all its comforts. Tbo wood is oft internally but hard externally. . Small trees are thus read ily oonverted into system of water pipes or other useful tubes. When old and past fruiting the whole trunk becomes hard, forming the well-known poroupine wood of commeroe, and much used where the trees grow for corner posts and rafters of dwellings. The leaves, usually from ' twelve to fifteen in number, of which from five to six ere produced each year as the old ones drop oS, are from eighteen to twenty feet long, and make an ex oellent thatching for both the roof and sides of buildings. Before unfolding these leaves are inolosed ia fibrous sheath, whioh ia used as sieve or strainer, end again for clothing and bedding, while the yonng unfolded leaf is oooked and eaten like cab bage. The base of the old leaveais ex panded nntil it half clasps the trnnk, nd the midrib stripped of its lighter leaf tissue forma hard and durable shovel or paddle, as need may require. By splitting np this expanded part an exoellent broom results, or oy remov inn it and sharpening the midrib pear or arrow is readily formed. The leaves are also made into fans, para sols and beds, and the sheathes into flih nets and hammocks, while the leaflets serve as paper when written upon with sharpened piece of the midrib. The smaller ribs are non verted by splitting into neat hair combs, white the whole loaf makes an excellent torch, whose resulting ashes yield potash that in turn converts the oil of the nut into ouoof the finest of soaps. In the collections In tho botanical department of the Field Museum may be found twines, ropes, mtts, cloth, rugs, brushes and various other utili sations of the roooa fiber, as well as many of the nuts in section, sbowins the various useful port'one of the fruit, together with other kindred palm nuts that yield oils and products of somewhat less extended use. Among these the most curious are the quadrangular coooannts of the South Sea Islands and the great coco de mer, or sea cocoanut, of the Indian Ocean, the latter being the largest tree fruit known, often weighing over fifty pounds. In shape this sea cocoanut much resembles s twin growth, and its peculiar form, as well as its great size, give rise to many varied and su perstitions legends among the peoples of the East African and West India coast, who found it washed upon their beaohes centuries before they knew of its source in the Seychelles Islands. Chicago Times-Herald. HOT AIR HEATIXO. 1'ractlcal Suggestions for This Method of Warming Houses. (Copyrltfhtoi! 196.) When a man starts out to build house, after having settled the ques tion of location, size, price and gener al stylo, tho most important matter that remains to be decidod is the method of heating. The larger pro portion of dwellings make use of the air system, nnd, nil things considered, there is nono that is more ratisfnetory. Hot air furnaces offer very convenient means of communicating warmth to a dwelling of almost any dimensions its spocinl advantage being that if it is properly managed it constantly brings into tbo bouse a large body of fresh air, and so contributes most ma terially to the ventilation of the build ing. This is effected by furnaoe plaoed in the lower portion of the house, which being duly provided with flues aud registers, heats and distributes through all parts of the establish ment quantity of fresh air in pro portion to the dimensions and capac ity of the air chamber in whioh it ia placed. A fundamental point of this system is the supply ot pure air to this air chamber, which should bo provided by duct or air passage from that sido of the house on whioh the air is likely to be the most pure, lint tho objections cited agaiust stoves when made with thin plates of metal without any lining to protect thom Irom becoming red hot apply with equal force to a vast majority of hot air furnaces now in use. Air deliv ered from furnace should never ex ceed tho temperature indicated by 120 degrees Fahrenheit? where tho beat reaches 150 degrees to 180 degrees at tbo point of delivery, tbo ouects are undoubtedly pernioious. Tho prinoiple to be attended to in construction of all hot air furnaoes is to generate and communicate tho greatest amount of heat with a given quantity of fuel, without producing any change in the breathing property of the air. A common fault is tbat the water pan is allowed to become empty, so that the heated air has tbat dry and stuffy quality of whioh many people justly complain. But with water constantly evaporating in tbe furnace, with cold air drawn from out doors, and with suoh an arrangement of pipea that every room will reoeive its due proportion of beat, there ia no system more satisfactory for ordinary houses, nor is any more economical an important consideration. Many house-holders urge objeotion to the hot air system that at first glanoe seem to be well founded. They, themselves, have these furnaoes and they never tire of reconuting their tribulations with them. They aay tbat there are certain rooms in their houses that never get particle of heat, although they force the furnaoe so that it eats np coal by the ton and makea the rest of the bouse unbear able ; and often an impression exists that oertain pipes and registers will always be favored, and that one or BOUSS HEATED BX HOT AIR. more (generally the one to the north) ia bound to go without heat. Such people will at onoe dispute the auer tion tbat eaoh pipe can be made to draw as well as its fellows, and tbat every register, properly managed, will throw out its quota of heat. The one prime fault with moat hot air heaters is that the cold air box is very muob too small. The size of this is generally left to the judgment of the carpenter and bnilder, and is made small ao aa not to be in the way, It ia simply pbysioal faot tbat no more hot air can be sent out of the furnaoe than cold air goes in. If the cold box has an aperture of five sqnsre feet, and . the hot air pipes aggregate ten square feet, it standi to reason that half of the hot air pipes will be starved, At easy test of the matter ia this : Wail nntil yon have hot fire in your fur naoe, and then open all the register! nd hold lighted candle before each ' JL Kitthsu I lflllllilH' iq CWM R' Par lei I 1 Vrand Btv J ' f Pi rat rLoor" one in turn. If there is down draught through one or morn of tti registers, the furnaoe, starved for oold air, ia drawing through one of those with the least upward draught in order to disoharge it when heated through the others. If your hot air furnaoe fails to give satisfaction, and is of a reliable make and in good con dition, investigate yonr cold air sup ply first of all ; then see that eaoh of the hot air pipea ia taken only from the crown of the furnaoe; that eaoh pipe has a distinct pitch tthe greater the better) aud finally it may bn welt to cover the pipes with asbestos in or der to prevent them from losing beat by radiation. If you have good fur nace to begin with, do not give np un til you have mastered theproblem and obtained the results you should ob tain. The accompanying plnn is for a house with hot air heating. The width of this house inoluding veranda Is 40 ft. 4 ins. ; its depth, in cluding front veranda, 40 ft. 6 ins. Its foundation is of stone and brick. The first story, Clapboards; the second story, gable, dormers, roofs and ver anda cnolosuro, shiugles. Th cellar measures 7 ft. 0 ins. in bight ; the first story, 0 ft. ; seoond story, 8 ft. 6 ins., and the nttio, 8 ft. "It is finished throughout with three-coat plaster. The flooring is of North Carolina pine ; the trim, white wood ; main atairoase, ash; kitchen and bath room, wain scoted. The laundry is in cellar un der kitohen, and the kitchen has portable range. SecorvJ floor- The first impression of this house iv, if built in the northern part of the United Stater, some people might say tbat, the chimney being on the out side of the house instead of being rnn up through the centre, that the open fireplace In the parlor would not give heat ; it is not so. If the house facea the north the furnaoe should be about under the centre of the parlor, draw ing through the ohimney nearest it; if the bouse faces the south it should be about under the kitohen where the word "down" is shown in the floor plan, drawing principally through the chimney shown in the floor plan run ning through the kitohen and the bod room in second floor, and if tbe oold air dnct is as large in tbe aggregato as in the hot air pipes every room should be suttioiently warm enough to beat the house seventy degrees in zero weather. Tbia house would cost about 843C0 inolnding the heating apparatus, range and mantel built within 10. miles of New York City, although ia many seotions of the country tbe cost should be much less where labor or materials are cheaper. The Chluaman anil the l'lano, Tbero was Chinamen who has laundry on Market street, who went to musical a few daya ago. Tbe press agent for the show atruok up quite an accquiantance with John and gave him a ticket, so John went. I bappeued to be in tbe laundry when John returned from the enter tainment. He and his partner have not been in this country very long, and it was tbe first time John had heard piano, I won't attempt to give the dialect, but this is the way he described the instrument to his fellow-countryman : "They had four-legged beast which the people could make sing at will. A man, or woman, or even feeble girl aits down in front of the nimal and step on its tail, while nt tbe aame time hitting ita white teeth with his or her Sogers, and then the oreaturea begin to sing. The singing, though much louder than eird, ia pleasant to listen to, Tbe beasts does not bite, nor does it move, although it was not tied no during the whole even ing." Louisville (Ky.) CommeroiaL Maine's Tallest Man. Tho tallest man in Maine is W. H. Kelley, of Phillips. He ii six feet ten inohea tall, and of symmetrical build, weighing mora tbau 200 pounds. Ha rides bicyole, whioh ba had to have mado expressly for bia own use, be cause of the length of hia lege. He ia leader of tbe local cornet baud, i W J , E I clc ijjnii.fH" cioM Bed ft. U , . I Bed (?. U . Bed P. JL 1 1 CHILDREN'S DRESS. BKASOArjLR OARMRMTS WORN BY TUB UTI LE ONES. A Girl's Dress of Trench Wool Challle Little (ilrl a .Jacket of Gray Boa Cloth-Hoy's Sailor Mouse Suit. IN tbe first double-column illustra tion French wool challle having leaf green dots on a pale pink ground is dafntly trimmed with bttorre-colored, narrow Inoe edging and lusertion, over green satin ribbon. The dress is exceedingly sirnplo in its construction and stylish In effect, so prettily pointed on ita edges. The plain waist has a box plait in centre front that is decorated oi eaoh edge with lace edging. The leg-o'-mutton aleevee are fashionably full they are gathered at the top end finished at the A mETTY 1KESS TOI". CIKLr. wrists with pointed, flaring ouffs. A standing collar completes tho neok. The full, round skirt is gathered at the top and sewed with a oord to the lower edge ot waist, a plaokot being finished at the baok, where it is lapped deeply witb the closing in centre, Dresden, taffeta and wash ailks, cash more, orepon and mixed woolen novoi ties, percale, grass linen, batiste, dimity, gingham, cambric, or other wash fabrics will make extremely be coming and sweetly simple snmmor drosses by tbe mode. The quantity of material 44 inohes wide required to make this dress for a girl eight years of age is 2 yards. Design and hints are by May Mnntou. JACKET Or GRAY BOX CLOTH. In the seoond large illustration light gray cloth ia aimply deoorated with silk soutacho braid in a darn or ahade, handsome lanoy smoked pearl buttons closing the loose fronts in double- breasted style, 'ibe jxoket is of fash ionable length, tho baok being olosely adjusted by side bat-k gores and a ourved centre seam that are sprung below tbe waist line to give tbe fash ionable rippled effect. The stole sailor oollar ia inoluded in the eesm with the rolling oollar and oloses comfortably at tbe neck in oentre front. Fall puffs re gathered and stylishly arranged over ooat shaped sleeves that have deep caff facings of cloth trimmed at the wrists with a double row of braid. Jackets in this atyle are aervioeable OIRL'8 JACKET and comfortablo after heavy onats are laid by, and can be made from plain or fauoy oloths in any becoming color or of material to match the dress. The quantity of material 44 inohea wide required to make this reefer for child eix years of ag ia 3 yarra. ailobnctt roa Bora. Nay blaa oloth made thia attrac- tive suit, the broad aallor collar, cuds and shield being of white serge, deoo. rated with rows of narrow blue braid. The blouse ia fitted with shoulder and under-arm seams, an elastic being in serted in the hem 'that finishes tho lower edge lo adjust it in true aallor style. The fronts are closed invisibly, but buttons and bnttonbolea can be -used if so preferred. The broad sailor oollar ends in pointed lapels that aro . joined to the cut-away neck in front, the shield portion being simulated by a facing on the underwsist, which ia disolosed between the lapels. A pocket is inserted on the left front. Tbe sleeves are gathered top and bottom and finished with round cnlTs at the wrists, neatly trimmed with rows of braid. The knee trousers are shaped by inside and outside leg eeams.small hip darts fitting them closely at the ' top. The closing is at the aides, where pookets are mado, and a hip pocket can be inserted on the right bip if ' wanted. Buttonholes are made in an- tier wcist-'unnds, and plaood on the top to attach the trousers to the nnder waist, or buttons for suspeuders can bo put on if so preferred. Pretty suits cot a SAtLon B&onaa suit. : are thos made up in various combina tions of materials and colors, black and red, brown and fawa.or tan with cream being very atylish. Tbe mode ia suita- OF GHAT BOX CLOTH. ble for wash suits of pique, Galatea, duok, grass linen, or flannel ; braid, embroidery or insertion all being used to trim suits in thia style. The quantity of material 27-inohee wide required to make this suit for boy eight years ot age ia 31 yads. A ohuroh now stands on tbo site ot the former slave mart ia Zanzibar.
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers