THE COCA PLANT

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 237, 25 June 1918, Page 6

THE COCA PLANT

Sir—ln your paper of to-day's date a correspondent, who signs himself "E.R.5.," refers to n South American plant which lie spells "eaco," famous for its strength-giving quality, and suggests it might be useful for our troops. The name is really "coca," not "caco," and the plant grows in tho form of a shrub a lew feet. high. It is the. plant Iron) which cocaine is extracted. Before the war, and possibly still, several makes of "coca wine" were sold in England. It is refurred to ]>v Charles Kingsley, in "Westward Ho," and in speaking of the-"calabashes of coca" carried! by St. Amyas and his party, when crossing the Cordillera, tells of the great desire the Indians had for "that miraculous herb which makes food unnecessary and enables their panting lungs to endure that keen mountain air." Your correspondent has mii-spelt the name, or else confused it with the "cacas" palm, which also grows in South America, and from which our cocoa is obtained. Tor further information regarding both plants and their products 1 would refer him to any fair-sized encyclopaedia.—l am, etc., J. P. MAYO. lumbolton, Juno 21.