Three vanities of palms, the coconut in the low country and the "kitul" in the hill country, and the "areca" throughout, hold a special place in Sri Lankan's life. The coconut and the kitul palms provide man with an inordinate number of products: food, shelter, clothing, building materials, fiber (coir), starch, sugar, paper, liquors (both hard and soft), oil, wax, fuel and dyes. The areca palm not perhaps quite as versatile as the other two, yet provides an essential ingredient to the favorite "chew" of most village folks. Finely cut areca nut mixed with, few anise seeds, a dab of quick lime and few square inches of dried tobacco leaf a wrapped in a "betel" leaf make a fine "chew" that is way ahead of chewing gum.