Betel Nut Baskets

Each man carries on his back, or at his side, one of these baskets in which he keeps his betel nut outfit. The nut of the Areca palm is split up into sections, wrapped in a Piper leaf, and the whole is liberally coated in lime. It is also customary to add a little tobacco to the nut befor placing it in the mouth. The chewing of the betel nut produces a mild stimulation which, if indulged in frequently, becomes a necessary habit. BATAK. Northern Palawan, Philippine Islands. Robert F. Cummings Expedition. F.C. Cole, Collector.