| LEGUMINOSE. 495 
- can gather, the gr ind tA tapp to have b Se SRS. 
~ extensively in India for more than- about fifty years. It was 
_ probably introduced into Bengal from China, as it was first 
_ known in that part of the country as Chini-béd4m (Chinese 
_ almond),. In Western India it was most likely introduced 
_ from Africa, or possibly by the Portuguese from Brazil, and 
_- Was no doubt used only as an article of diet for a considerable - 
. time, just as the seeds of a closely allied plant (Voandzeia sub-— - 
_ terrdnea) imported from Mozambique are at present eaten 
_ in Goa and Bombay under the name of Mosambi-chana 
(Mozambique gram). The value of the ground-nut as an oil 
' seed was first. recognised in Europe about 1840, since which date 
its cultivation has been greatly extended. At the present time 
_ the seeds and oil are largely exported to Europe, where the 
_ latter is much used for soap-making. In Bombay the oil is 
"expressed at the Government Medical Store Depdt for phar- 
qi maceutical purposes to the extent of about 6,000 lbs. annually. 
_ It is used as a substitute for olive oil. For making plasters 
_ the mixed sweet oil of the bazar may be used, but it requires - 
Bae 
“_ 
4g the proportion .of 90 Ibs. of oil to 41 Ibs. of oxide makes 
an excellent plaster of a very pale colour and_ perfect 
- consistence, Ninety pounds of bazar oil require 43 Ibs. 
_ of oxide. ee 
Description.—Cold drawn eround-nut oil is of a pale 
taste ;it is a non-drying oil, the yield from the nuts being about . 
— 88 to 45 per cent. The specific gravity of the fresh oil is *918 
at 15° C. and of the old -920. At 3° C. it becomes turbid, at 
8° to 4° it concretes, and hardens at —7°. If kept long it 
becomes rancid. (Brannt.) — fe 
Chemical composition.—In Arachis oil, the commoner glyce- 
rides, palmatin aid olein are partially replaced by. the homo- " 
- logous glycerides of hypogwic and -arachidic acids. (Alien.) ee 
- Aglyceryl ether of Arachic-acid also occurs. in the tallow oe 
_ Nephelium lappaceum. (Oudeman.) eT oe, 
sete Sea HES i Ui op a ea 
rather more oxide of lead than ground-nut oil, the latterin. 
yellow colour, and has an. agreeable nutty odour and bland. | 
