PLANTS YIELDING OILS, DYES, TAXXIXS, ETC. 



1773 



which was spoiled by contact with the sand at the sides of the silo, 20 

 to 30 per cent of the nutritive constituents of the fresh grass were lost 

 in the process of conversion irito silage, except as regards fats and mineral 

 substances. A mixture of equal parts of fresh forage and Panicum maxi- 

 mum silage is recommended for use in times of scarcity. 



1280 - The Cohune Palm (Attalea Cohune) and its Products (O, — mokris c. d., 



in La Hacienda, pp. 376-379. Buffalo, X. Y., September igi6. 



The fruit of this palm contains a kernel which yields aboiit .|0 per 

 cent of an oil that is said to be superior to cocoanut oil. It has been ex- 

 tracted for several years and has been used in place of ordinary burning 

 oil. As a matter of fact this palm oil is suitable for other more important 

 commercial uses. The Cohune grows in the region between South Mexico 

 and Columbia and attains its best development in British Honduras, Gua- 

 temala and the Honduras Republic. In the latter country the soil of the 

 forests is rich, marly, and of excellent quality. The trees grow about 5 

 3^ards apart and the fruits form enormous bunches which sometimes weigh 

 as much as 165 lbs. each. The average 5aeld of one tree is 1 000 nuts per 

 annum, though some specimens will produce twice as many. By means 

 of ether rather more than 40 per cent of oil can be extracted from the 

 kernel ; the cake contains 2.5 per cent of nitrogen and can be used as cattle 

 food. 



Cohune oil saponifies easily and furnislies an odourless soajj which 

 niaj' prove to be useful in the manufacture of fine soap. The fibrotts pe- 

 ricarp, which is about ^ inch thick, also contains some fat. If factories 

 are put up for the extraction of tlie oil from the kernels by means of sol- 

 vents it might be worth while to extract the fats from the pericarps as 

 well, \\1ien freed from fibre the fruit is 2-2 ^ inches long and about i y^ 

 inches across. The shell is very hard and is about 14 ^^ich thick, while 

 the kernel is as big as a large nutmeg. 



In order to produce the oil on a large scale for export machines must 

 be used to crack the stones. This is a very difficult problem to solve, as 

 the machines nuist needs work with great force, with the result that the 

 kernels are smashed as well as the shells. 



This palm serves other useful purposes : houses are thatched with 

 the leaves ; the leaf stalks are woven with osiers and cord into fences and 

 mats ; the pith of the central stem can be used instead of cork for mount- 

 ing insects ; cord and hammocks are made from the fibres of the young 

 leaves. The sap makes a refreshing drink, which is not so much used now 

 as formerlv. 



CROP.5 YIELD- 

 ING OILS, DYES 

 AND TANNINS 



(i) See also B. 1913, No. 1038. 



[Ed.). 



i 



