Vt3, I, 18S7.3 THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 



J-£3 



^eemed quite equal in fragrance to the pommade cle 

 catsie prepared iu the South of France. In the North 

 Borneo Court the oil derived from the Borneo camphor 

 tree was exhibited. This also might possibly be useful 

 in dissolving some resius or in rendering them soluble 

 in alcohol. 



This oil does not appear to be so well known as the 

 Chinese camphor oil, of which as much as 94,500 lb. 

 is said to have been imported into the United States 

 during the past sixteen months. Chinese camphor 

 Was shown only in the India and Hong Kong Courts, 

 and specimens of Borneo camphor in that of North 

 Borneo. Under the supposition that Borneo camphor 

 is probably not preferred by the Chinese without rea- 

 son, I forwarded seme specimens kindly supplied by 

 the Acting Commissioner at the North Borneo Court 

 to Mr. R. Btockman of Edinburgh University. The 

 taste is not so unpleasant as that of Chinese camphor. 



Before leaving the subject of essential oils it may 

 be pointed out that nearly all the essential oils 

 obtained from flowers in India are spoiled by mixing 

 them with sandal-wood oil and after with fixed oils. 

 Until prepared in a state of purity they are not 

 likely to come into the demand that might other- 

 wise arise on account of the exquisite fragrance of 

 many of them. 



Fixed Oils and Fats. 



The principal official oils exhibited were castor oil 

 and olive oil. The former was shown from nearly all 

 the Weht Indian Courts, British Guiana, South Aus- 

 tralia, Ceylon, Fiji, and the Seychelles, but only that 

 from the last-named colony possessed the clearness 

 and brilliancy to which we are accustomed in this 

 coun try. Olive oil was shewn from South Australia 

 and New South Wales, but as yet it is only pre- 

 pared in South Australia in commercial quantities. 

 There appears to be no reason why this colony, as 

 well as the Cape and Natal, should not in tuture 

 years supply a better and purer oil than the too 

 often adulterated product now obtained from the 

 shores of the Mediterranean, especially if the best 

 varieties of the olive be cultivated for the purpose. 



Oroton oil was shown in the Hong Kong Court, and 

 some very fine specimens of the seeds were notice- 

 able iu that of Ceylon. Of the official fats cacao 

 butter occured in the Trinidad Court, but was not 

 of superior quality. Beeswax, obtaiued either from 

 dome>ticated or wild bees, was exhibited in nearly 

 every Court, but for the most part the specimens ex- 

 hibited were very di;-ty and inferior, some flat circular 

 cakes exhibited by Mr. Fabien in the Trinidad Court 

 being the oitiy presentable specimens that were 

 noticed. A large number of non-official oils were ex- 

 hibited in the different Courts, some of them being 

 obtainable in large quantities from more than one 

 colony. This was the case with carapa or crab oil, 

 which was shown in the British Guiana and Trinidad 

 Courts, and is a product also of Western Africa. It 

 has a bitter taste, and is used by the natives as an 

 insecticide, a pi-operty which, if retained when the 

 oil is saponified, might be turned to useful account. 



The oil of Jatropha Curcas appear.s to be largely 

 used in some parts of the Continent. It yields a pur- 

 gative sweet oil of pale colour, and of a consistence 

 much thinner than castor oil. Probably it might prove 

 valuable as a stimulant hair oil, possessing the ad- 

 vantage over castor oil of being free from anj disagree- 

 able odour. It could be obtained in sufficient quantity 

 for soap making and illuminating purposes, the plant 

 being comnion in all semi-tropical countries. 



The oil of various species of Aleiwites was shown 

 in several Courts, that from Queensland and the Sey- 

 chelles being almost colourless and quite clear. This 

 oil could be obtained in unlimited quantity, and niiglit 

 also be useful as an illuminating oil or in soap making, 

 being compfiratively inexpensive. The oil of Aleuritcs 

 cordata, exhibited by Messrs. A. S. Watson and Co. 

 in the Hong Kong Court under the name of wood oil, 

 is remarkable for its drying properties, which have 

 already been described in the Pliarinacei'Ucal Jovrnal 

 {[3], XV., p. 636, 637). Other Chinese oils exhibited by the 

 eame firm were those of tea seed {Camellia oleifera), ■■ 

 65 



which IS used by the Chinese as a substitute for olive oi'. 

 and also as a lamp oil, oil of cabbage seed, oil of peach 

 and apricot kernels, and oil of soy beans, used both for 

 cooking and illuminating purposes, ail of the above 

 being obtainable in large quantities. A very pale, 

 sweet and bland oil is obtained both in China and 

 West Africa from the seeds of several varieties of a 

 melon, which yield on an average about .30 per cent 

 t°,-; J^?d<=^ t^e name of "egusi " these seeds are 

 exhibited in the West African Court. 

 _ Numerous specimens of coconut oil were shown 

 m several Courts, that from Seychelles being very 

 white, and a specimen in the British Guiana Court 

 was not only very white but unusally soli. I, and was 

 pronounced by experts to be the best in the exhibi- 

 tion. The yellowish oil of the King coconut wns 

 shown in the Ceylon Court. This is remarkable f o • 

 being free from the odour of the coconut, and is 

 therefore more suitable for use in peifumery. 



In the Tobago Court the oils derived from the 

 seeds of the grugru {AcrQcomia .yderocarpa) and coke- 

 rite {Maximiliana insiym^) palms; in the Bri i»h Gui^i a 

 Court, that of the acuyuru palm {Adrocciri/um Tucuma); 

 and m the British Honduras Court a whi,^ semi-s^lid 

 fat from the seeds of Attalea Cahune, known as 

 Cahoon oil, were shown. 



In the India Court a large number of oils were 

 exhibited, but many of these from exposure to light 

 had become rancid. The white semi-solid oil derived 

 from the kernels ot Anacavdiuni occidentah was, how- 

 ever, noticed to be still sweet. 



The oil of Bassia lonyifolia, exhibited in the 

 Mauritius Court, is a sweet od having the colour and 

 consistence of butter, but has a peculiar fi^vour, al- 

 though almost free from odour. Another sohd oil 

 in the India Court, obtained from the seeds of 

 Qardnia indica, is used in India as a substitute for 

 spermaceti ointment, and having hardly any odour a,nd 

 a pleasant bland taste deserves more attention than 

 it has hitherto received. 



Myrtle wax, obtained from the berries of Myrica covdi' 

 folia and other species, was shown in the Cape of 

 Good Hope Court. It is hard but brittle wax. 

 Oleoresins and Eesins. 

 Of those official in the British Pharmacopceia 

 copaiba was exhibited in the British Guiana Court. 

 The specimens were of a pale colour and good con- 

 sistence, but it is remarkable that it does not appear 

 to be recognized as a commercial variety in this 

 country. Gamboge was exhibited in the Ceylon 

 Court ; guaiacum in that nf the West Indies ; ben- 

 zion, of very inferior quality, was but poorly repre- 

 sented in the Straits Settlements Court; and Cbian 

 turpentine in the Cyprus Court. The Ceylon gamboge 

 is not as yet well known iu this country ; a con- 

 signment sent to England three years ago fetched 

 £14 5s. per cwt. 



A kind of elemi was shown in the British Guiana and 

 West African Coiu-ts, but in both cases of too hard 

 a consistence to replace the Manila drug. There was 

 also in several of the West Indian Courts a product 

 resembling elemi in appearance and consistence, but 

 having a more terebinthinate odour that in the St. Lucia 

 Court having a pleasant oiour more resembling i- 

 banum. These products are used as incense, the oirty 

 and inferior pieces being made into torches. 



Kesins suitable for making varnishes were shown 

 by several colonies. Fine specimens of Kauri resin 

 were observed in the New Zealau.l Court. In the 

 British Guiana Court there was a very hard resin, 

 known as Demerara or Brazilian copal ; of this there 

 were two varieties, one pale in colour and evidently 

 of more recent production than the other, which was 

 more yellow and harder. This resin appears to be 

 but little known in Euglish commerce as yet, but I 

 am informed that those who know how to dissolve 

 it find tba*^^ it makes an e.xceliont copal varnish. I 

 may remark in passing that the oil of Iiv.cah/pti's ofeom 

 dissolves it perfectly and in consiilerabie qiianti ty. 

 A very white and tolerably hard resin, whicu said 10 

 form an excellent picture vtiniish, was shown by Dr, 



