17 



for the purpose of having a report upon it. They do not know it — but 

 from a casual inspection of it they expressed themselves favourably 



about it. 



In fact, now-a-days, anything that produces vegetable oils will sell, 

 indeed oil-seeds are equally sought after, and it is merely a question 

 of cost of production and putting down here. The husk on the seed is 

 much against it, and it would save freight, and increase the value 

 much, commercially, if it could be taken off." 



Extracts from a Paper on " Oils & Fats." 



By Leopold Field, F.E.S.C, F.C.S., in Eepoits of the Colonial 

 Sections of the Exhibition (Colonial and Indian Exhibition, 1886. j 



Ben, or more properly Behen Oil was exhibited by the Botanical 

 Department, Jamaica. This exquisite oil, which nature would appear 

 to have devised expressely for the perfumer, seems to be singularly 

 neglected. At least, the writer's efforts to obtain a genuine sample 

 have hitherto proved unsuccessful. Mr. Septimus Piesse, in his 

 excellent little work published in 1862,* grows quite enthusiastic over 

 this oil ; as embodying the highest desiderata of the craft: freedom 

 from all odour, tendency to grow rancid, or to solidify. 



Thf se assertions are borne out by all who write upon this subject. 

 The sample submitted was exposed in thin layers to warm air currents 

 for a week, without exhibiting the faintest tendency to grow rancid. 

 Hence the oil of Behen would be (perhaps is) invaluable to the 

 " enfleurageur" who has perpetually to combat the tendency to rancidity 

 in even the finest lards. 



It is stated that " Macassar oil" is made on a Behen basis. This 

 being the case, it is singular that ihe material should never appear on 

 t*he market or be offered for sale. After repeated application to Grasse, 

 Cannes, a sample was reported as shipped. This however, to the 

 intense chagrin of the recipient, proved to be Benne or Sesame oil, also 

 a beautiful product, but not equal to Behen. 



Jamaica, through Mr. Scharschmidt, proved her capability of doing 

 great things in enfleurage, some very fine (all hough slightly rancid) 

 jasmin and tuberose pomades being shown. Hence it may be hoped 

 that the Moringa pterygosperma, or better still aptera, will re- 

 ceive the cultivation it deserves, in a country where the oil can be util- 

 ized to the fullest extent. The amount of flower-pomades and oils 

 consumed in England alone is enormous, and the whole supply is 

 drawn from Franc . 1 here is no duty on these goods. Why should 

 our own Colonies not supply us ? Why should all our citron, berga- 

 mot and orange oils come from Messina and Spain, when the West 

 Indies can grow these fruits in any quantity ? These questions are 

 such as arise in the mind of one deeply and patriotically interested in 

 perfumery, without special knowledge of the particular conditions 

 obtaining in the localities addressed. 



* Art of Perfumery. London: Longmans Green & Co., 1862, 



