The term bark loosely refers to the outer covering of the stem and branches. Technically, it includes all the tissues from outside the cambium to the outermost layers of a woody stem. The bark serves as a protective tissue. It acts as a conduit transporting food to the other parts of the tree. About 8% of the total volume of a tree in bark.
Bark consists of an outermost corky layer called epidermis, a layer of manufactured
food-conducting tissues called phloem, a zone between these two layers known as cortex. In several species, a layer of fibrous strips called “bast fiber” forms an innerbark. Oils, resins, tannins, waxes and phenolic substances may be present in the bark.
Cork, fiber, tannins, gums, resins, latex materials can all be derived from barks. The most
common yet the oldest and lowest grade uus of unprocessed bark is for fuel.
Following are some of the other uses of barks:
1. Bark rich in tannin – a substance used in:
a) tanning leather, preparation of binders and wood adhesives, drying fishnets, ropes, soils and clothing.
b) insecticide
c) rust prevention
d) ink manufacture
e) medicines
The barks of kamatchili, some mangrove species like ‘bakawan-babae’, busaing, langaral,
pototan and ceriops tagal are the main sources of tanning materials.
2. Bast fiber – another portion of the bark found just under the outer bark – strong, tough and durable and can be made into cloth, turinas, bowstrings, fish lines, sacks. Paper from
mulberry and salago have fine bast fibers which can be made into high grade quality paper such as bank notes and checks. Those of kalulot and other similar species are made into lady’s handbags, wallets and placemats. Bast fibers of anonang, malabuho, and sinaligan yield silky and lustrous interlaced filaments which are pliable and strong. These can be used in the manufacture of elegant hats, handbags, placemats and wallets.
Anabo, anonang, ‘kulantingan’, ‘malubago’ and sinaligan have tough and durable bast fibers with good folding endurance and bending sterngth. They can also be made into cordage and wild bag trap.
3. Barks can also be potential sources of saponins – a lathe-producing substance which can be used in the formulation of shampoo.
From the RDE Network PCRDF Selects best coconut researches
BAR Digest, July 1999
The Philippine Coconut Research and Development Foundation (PCRDF) has selected this year’s three best research papers on coconut. The selection was announced at the annual convention of the Federation of Crop Science Society of the Philippines (FCSSP) last May in General Santos.
A member of the FCSSP, the PCRDF sponsored the coconut session of the annual meet.
The Best Paper Award went to Biological Studies of the Coconut Mealybug in Palawan authored by Mateo Sipagan of PCA Albay Research Center.
Second place went to Leaf Pruning Technique in Bearing Coconut Palms (CLP): Its Effect on Underplanting Young Coconuts for Pith or ‘Ubod’ Production jointly authored by Gerardo Padrones, Millicent Secretaria and Severino Magat of the PCA Davao Research Center, Bago Oshiro Davao City.
The third best paper was Up-take and Metabolism 0/2.4 Coconut Inflorescence and Calii of O. D Orense and R. Hornung. The winners received monetary prizes and certificates.
Researchers on crop science present their outstanding research papers during the Federation’s annual conventions, which are also when agricultural societies get together.
Leaf Pruning Technique in Bearing Coconut Palms (CLP): Its Effect on Underplanting Young Coconuts for Pith or ‘Ubod’ Production
by Gerardo Padrones, Severino Magat and Millicent Secretaria
(Awarded Second Best Research Paper on Coconut by the Federation of Crop Science Society of the Philippines)
The feasibility and viability of producing coconut pith or ubod from young coconuts planted either in a single or double plants per hill under pruned (CLP maintaining 18 younger leaves of upper crown) or non-pruned bearing palms was studied at 1he Philippine Coconut Authority-Davao Research Center. Bago Oshiro Davao City. Results showed that the number of leaves produced by young coconut was significantly affected by leaf pruning with higher number of leaves produced under pruned coconut than those under non-pruned coconut. On the other hand, nut and copra production of bearing palms was not significantly affected by leaf pruning.
Significantly, bigger girth and more number of leaves were produced from single planting (SP) of young coconut per hill than double planting (DP) scheme. Consequently, longer and heavier fresh weight of ubod (average of 6.8 kg/palm; range 3.3-10.7 kg) was obtained from single planting than that from double planting scheme (average of 5.9 kg/palm; range 2.8-9.4 kg) on the first year of ubod harvest. However, on a per ha basis, yield of ubod from single planting was lower than double planting mainly due to the number of plants per hill. The total ubod yields for single and double planting were 4.9 t and 8.9 t/ha.
Under the Davao growing condition, cost and return analysis of ubod production in single plant per hill scheme indicated a total net income of P68, 624 per ha in 4 years with a return on investment (ROI) of 163%. In double planting scheme, average ubod yield valued at P129, 030 or an average of P32, 258/year/ha with an ROI of 180%. Considering copra plus ubod production from these two planting schemes, the cumulative net incomes and ROI obtained were P180, 736; P242, 389.6 and 202%; 203% for single and double planting respectively.
Based on the results of this study with modest fertilizer application of ammonium sulfate plus common salt (NaCl), underplanting of one or two young coconuts per hill at 3×3 m distance between spacer of bearing coconut palms harvested at three years from field-planting is more profitable and viable production scheme to increase farm productivity even without leaf pruning of old plants. The farm income with this coconut-based production is increased by 160% to 210% compared to coconut monocropping.
A plant of the New World, the tomato is native to the Andes, in particular Peru, Ecuador and Bolivia. Early explorers took seeds to Europe where tomatoes remained ornamental for many years. Botanists correctly classified them with the poisonous nightshade family and assumed that they too were deadly, when in reality only the leaves and stems are toxic. Even in the mid-19th century North Americans refused to eat them. Cookbooks said they should be cooked for three hours. The general population developed a taste for raw tomatoes in the 20th century.
Technically, the tomato is a fruit, since it is classified botanically as a berry. Typically in meal planning it is used as a vegetable. Today, tomatoes are used in diets around the world in a variety of ways. Italians use them in sauces and salads. Americans slice them for sandwiches, dice them for salads, stuff them with egg salad, and cook them with sugar and spice for ketchup. Mexicans mince them with cilantro, onions and chilies for salsa.
The French use them in ratatouille, the Spanish in gazpacho. The Swedes use tomato paste in their smorgasbords; and the Norwegians flavor a spread with them. Fried green tomatoes are part of the cuisine of the American South, while New Englanders bake them in sweet green tomato pie.
Tomatoes provide a variety of nutrients for very few calories. At 35 calories, a raw medium-sized tomato has two grams of fiber, which compares to eight grams in an ear of corn, or five grams in a half-cup of green peas, or three grams in a half-cup of broccoli. Half of the vitamin C requirements for a day can come from a medium-sized tomato. It is an excellent source of beta-carotene, potassium, iron and the antioxidant lycopene.
(Source: Health and Home September October 1998, P. 13 )
Making coals from Cocos through charcoal brick kiln
by Ellaine Grace L. Nagpala
Coconut (Cocos nucifera) remains to be the top cultivated crop in the Philippines. Out of the 12 million hectares of farmlands in the country, 3.1 million hectares of it is devoted to coconut production. With the vast size of farmland devoted to coconut farming, it can be said that a large percentage of the country’s population still depends on coconut for their living.
Over 3.5 million coconut farmers are widely distributed in different parts of the country, mostly in Southern Luzon and in different parts of Mindanao.
To help the coconut farmers gain extra income while attending to their farm activities, the group of Engineer Rosella B. Villaruel of the Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) in Region X1 came up with a charcoal brick kiln where coconut shells can be turned into quality charcoals.
What are kilns?
A kiln is a thermally insulated chamber used to harden, burn or dry materials, it could be utilized in drying and heating wood to produce firewood and charcoal, or in firing-materials used in ceramic-making.
Traditional means
Kilns were first utilized in Bago Oshiro, Davao City under the Philippine-German Coconut Project (PGCP) in 1995.
In the Philippines, charcoals are traditionally produced using drum kilns where a standard oil drum with an approximate capacity of 55 gallons is used. With the use of a drum kiln, charcoals can be produced from 600 pieces of split coconut shells. However, charcoal workers encountered problems with regards to the operation, durability and efficiency of the drum kiln.
The charcoal brick kiln
The batch type brick kiln was fabricated as an alternative to the traditional methods of charcoal production and to ease the operations in charcoal making of the charcoal workers.
The brick kiln is made of 2”x4”x8” standard rectangular bricks, constructed in a dome-shape. The kiln’s dome structure is for the purpose of optimal carbonization process. Its inside has a base diameter of 1.2 meters and a net height of 1.10 meters with an approximate volume of 0.73 cubic meters. This prototype kiln can accommodate approximately 3,000 pieces of average split shells. This could be increased if the shells are semi-crushed.
The charcoals produced by the kiln from the coco shell wood passed the standard of a good quality charcoal which possesses a fixed carbon content of 86.5%, ash of 1.4%, volatile combustible matter of 9.6% and 2.5% moisture content.
The charcoal brick kiln is expected to last for five years or more with an initial investment of PhP 4,100 while the drum kiln has a serviceable life span of six months to one year, with each drum costing PhP 500.
User-friendly
One problem encountered by the charcoal workers with the drum kiln is its difficulty to operate. Since metals are strong conductors of heat, the drum kiln becomes difficult to handle as it turns very hot during the process.
Moreover, the smoke being emitted under the drum becomes a nuisance to the workers. As such, the brick kiln was designed to be user- friendly.
Bricks being resistors of heat makes the charcoal brick kiln easier to operate. The kiln was also designed in such a way that it will suppress the heat pressure inside and prevent it form leaking outside the kiln. In this way, the kiln will be convenient for the operators as they will no longer have trouble with the heat coming from the kiln. Also, the smoke coming from the kiln not be a problem for the workers since a ‘nose’ for the emission of smoke is included in the structure which is strategically placed at the top of the kiln. This way, it will be easier for the operators to recharge the kilns.
Time saving
The proper procedure for making good quality charcoals only requires 16 percent of the total time to produce charcoals with the brick kiln as compared to the drum kiln which requires 90 percent operation time.
With the charcoal brick kiln, 74 percent time more will be saved in charcoal making. For a farmer who needs to attend to his farm and his family, and his other chores, the 74 percent time that can be saved means more time to attend to his tasks.
In general, this implies that the kiln is not only designed to increase the capacity of charcoal produced but also for the benefit of the worker.
———- This article was based on ‘A comparative study between batch type brick kilns and drum kilns using decision tree analysis’ by Engineer Rose B. Villaruel and Mr. Kalvin Mesias Balucanag of the Philippine Coconut Authority in Region XI. The Batch Type Brick Kiln was funded by the Philippine Coconut Authority and the Korea Institute of Industrial Technology.
