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stone which in some cases has a small groove into which the nut 

 fits, the kernel of commerce is thus obtained. 



II. SHEA BUTTER.* 



Tree reaching to a height of thirty or forty feet, with a trunk 

 five to six feet in diameter. The wood is red like cedar, very hard 

 and close grained. Shea butter is a solid fat obtained from the 

 kernels, which are first dried in the sun, then bruised, and finally 

 boiled, when the fat flows on the surface and is skimmed off for 

 use : it constitutes a main article of inland commerce, and is used 

 by the natives for anointing their bodies, also, after indigo has been 

 mixed with it, as a pomatum for colouring grey hair, for lighting 

 and for food. This fat is exported from Sierra Leone and all 

 down the West Coast as far as Lagos to the extent of 700 to 

 1,000 tons annually for use in the manufacture of hard soaps, 

 chiefly in combination with other oils. 



A substance somewhat resembling gutta-percha to the extent of 

 3-6 per cent is found in Shea Butter, and is called Gutta-Shea ; no 

 application, however, has been found for it. The fleshy portion of 

 the fruit is very sweet and is eaten by the natives. It is one of 

 the commonest trees of the hinterland of Lagos and Northern 

 Nigeria. 



Early in 1902 the Governor of Lagos submitted dried leaves and 

 twigs of this tree for examination by the Scientific and Technical 

 department of the Imperial Institute. 



An analysis made by Professor W. Ramsay of University Col- 

 lege, London, reads : — 



"Shea-Butter (Butyrospermum Parkii) gives a yield of some 3 '6 

 per cent, of extract. This also consists largely of chlorophyll — 

 the green colouring matter of leaves, but it also consists mostly of 

 fatty matter, apparently similar in character to Shea-butter. 



"A test for gums of the gutta kind led to negative results. I do 

 not consider it is worth while to investigate this matter further. 

 The small percentage of extract, even if it were worth anything, 

 would preclude a profitable extraction. Indeed, I doubt if it would 

 pay under 8 or 10 per cent." 



BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



EXTRACTS FROM MINUTES. 



The usual monthly meeting of the Board of Agriculture was 

 held at Headquarter House on lOth October, present : the 

 Colonial Secretary, Chairman, the Director of Public Gardens, the 

 Island Chemist, Hon. T. H. Sharp, Messrs. C. E. deMercado, 

 J. W. Middleton, and John Barclay, Secretary. 



Papers re Mr. Nolan and Jamaica rum in the United Kingdom 

 were submitted and directed to be circulated. 



* Butyrospermum I'avkii. 



