180 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



JvxE 7, 1913. 



FRUITS AND FRUIT TREES. 



TEE ECONOMIC VALUE OF THE WEST 

 INDIAN GRUGRU PALM. 



Early in 1911, informatiou was received at this office 

 from the Superintendent of Agriculture, Grenada, to the 

 effect that enquiries were being made in that island as to 

 the possibility of the disposal by sale of the fruit of the gru- 

 gru palm {Acrocjmia sclerocarpa), and that information was 

 required by planters and others as to the prices likely to be 

 obtained if such disposal could be made. 



Towards the end of October 1912, a communication was 

 received from the Director of the Imperial Institute, stating 

 that similar enquiries were being made in London, and asking 

 to be informed as to the possibility of establishing an export 

 trade in this product from the West Indies. This was accom- 

 panied by a request that representative samiiles of gru gru 

 kernels might be sent to the Imperial Institute for exam- 

 ination and valuation. 



Agricultural otfiicers in the Windward and Leeward 

 Islands were communicated with, and early in 1913 a sample 

 of the kernels was obtained from Grenada and forwarded as 

 requested to the Imperial Institute. Later a sample of 

 expressed oil was also sent. 



In the letter of transmittal, the Imperial Commissioner 

 of Agriculture pointed out that the tree grew freely in 

 Grenada on poor, rocky hill sides and that it might usefully 

 provide material for export without interfering with other 

 crops. It was also stated in this letter that the trees existed 

 in some numbers in St. Vincent but that they were being 

 destroyed to make way for cotton cultivation: in St Lucia 

 they existed in smaller numbers. No considerable number 

 was found to occur in the Leeward Islands but they 

 occurred to some extent and might doubtless be increased. 

 Considerable numbers were stated to exist in Trinidad. 



The fact was also noted in this communication that 

 the gru-gru palm is freely attacked by the palm weevil 

 (Rhynchopliorus jMl/iiarum), whicii circumstance would have 

 to be kept in mind when suggesting the cultivation of the 

 grwgru palm near coco-nuts. 



Quite recently a report on the material forward for 

 examination has been received from the Director of the 

 Imperial Institute, Professor Wyndhara Dunstun, C.M.G., 

 M.A., F.ll.S., and is reproduced as follows: — 



DEscuii'TioN n|. s.\Mi>LE. 'The Sample consisted of 

 about 1.3 II). of rounded brown nuts, slightly flattened at the 

 base and bluntly pointed at the apex. The length from apex 



to base was ','- to 1 inch, and the diameter was 1 to 1| inch, 

 being thus greater than the length. Each nut possessed 

 three "eyes" situated about halfway between the apex and 

 the base.. 



'The shells of the nuts were hard, brittle and woodyj 

 they measured slightly over J-inch in thickness. The 

 kernels, which were of irregular shape, were dark brown 

 externally and white within, and were somewhat similar in 

 appearance to ordinary oil palm kernels (Elaeis guineensis). 



EE.suLTs Oh' E.\.\MiNATioN. 'The kernels, which were 

 found to contain 7'3 per cent of moisture yielded 56'2 

 ptr cent, of a white crystalline fat. This product resembled 

 coco-nut oil. but it was more opaque and had a less marked 

 odour; it also resembled palm kernel oil. It was examined 

 with the following results, compared with the corresponding 

 figures for palm-kernel oil: 



Gru-Gru fat. 



Palm-kernel oil. 

 0'8731 



Vii 

 2.55 1 



21'0 



20'.5°C 



S9'5 

 6'8 

 0-16 



100 



242'4 



10-3 



20 0° 



911 



.50 



to 251-8 

 to 17 5 

 to 25 5*0 



to 6'8 



Specific gravity at 100% 15'5°C. 0'868 



Acid value 



Saponification value 



Iodine value, per cent. 



Titer test 



Hehner value (approx.) 



Reichert-Meissl value 



Unsaponifiable matter, per cent. 



Polenske value 



coMMEU('i.\L v.vLUE. 'The pre.scnt value of oil-palm 

 kernels in the United Kingdom is from £22 6.'!. 'M. to 

 £23 2s. Qd. per ton, ex-quay Liverpool (April 1913), and 

 gru-gru kernels should fetch about the same price, since 

 they are as rich in fat as palm kernels. The gru-gru kernel 

 oil, however, is a liltlc softer than (lalm kernel oil, and this 

 may make a slight diti'erence in the price obtainable for the 

 kernels. This point, however, can only be determined after 

 con.signraents have been marketed, and manufacturers have 

 been able to try the oil on an industrial scale in comparison 

 with coco nut and palm-kernel oils. 



'Experiments conducted at the Imperial Institute have 

 shown that gru-gru nuts can be shelled fairly satisfactorily 

 by means of the nut cracking machine made by Messrs. 

 Miller P)rothers, of 21, Water Street, Liveri)ool, which is 

 referred to in the Bulletin of the Juijierial Institute, 

 Vol. VII (1909), p. 386 In a trial made with gru-gru 

 nuts, 68 per cent, were completely shelled on passing once 

 through the machine, and 8 per cent, were partly shelled. 



