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differs somewhat from that employed elsewhere, it may be of 
interest to describe it here. There are usually three fruiting heads 
in each season, and there are two seasons in each year, during which 
the tree bears a crop, that yielded during the wet season being 
heavier than that of the dry. The weight of a head cut in the 
dry season may be over 20 Ibs., the size having generally been 
diminished by the previous extraction of Palm Wine from the base 
of the fruiting stalk. The heads on one tree do not ripen 
simultaneously. When ripe they are cut down and the fruits are: 
immediately extracted by hand ; the head being cut up to facilitate 
their removal. Winnowing, to get rid of the husk-like covering, 
with which each fruit is enveloped, is then resorted to, and the 
clean fruit is placed in a pot to boil until the fibrous pericarp is 
sufficiently loosened. No decomposition is permitted in order to 
assist this operation. When the pericarp has swollen, and is 
therefore more easily detached from the stone, the whole is placed 
in a mortar and pounded until the kernel stones can be picked out. 
The remaining pulpy, fibrous liquid is then squeezed through a 
strainer made from the fan palm leaf, and the liquid resulting is 
again boiled until the oil rises to the surface and can be skimmed 
off by means of gourd ladles. 
“Kernel oils, both black and white, are said to be prepared b 
the Mandingos, in a manner which has been described wit 
reference to other West African tribes, but the Jolahs only 
prepare the kernels for sale in Bathurst, where there is a small 
trade. All the pericarp oil that is made is consumed in the 
country. 
examining the fruits, their small size is particularly 
noticeable, and the pericarp is very thin. In size those which are 
examined in Fongi (Jolah country), seemed to be approximately 
1 in. by 3 in. by 3 in., and of a bright orange colour, without any 
black at their apices ; but the black-tipped form is said to occur, 
and the Mandingo trees are said to give a larger fruit. Only one 
variety is recognised by the natives, the kernel shell of which is 
very thick, and the native names applied to the tree itself are 
‘Tengo’ (Mandingo), ‘ Kabekalako’ (Jolah), and ‘ Neul’ (Joloff).’ 
EXPORTS. 
Tt has already been indicated that. the supply of palm oil and 
kernels for export is largely bound up with questions of transport 
and means of communication. The kernels are impo in some 
Seetty into Liverpool, but the bulk of the carrying trade is in 
but a decrease in some cases in the last year in the export of oil. 
In Southern Nigeria the following extract represents the present 
condition of the Oil Palm industry :— 
“ No definite figures are available to show the extent to which 
the production of palm produce has been increased owing to 
improved means of communication, but there is no doubt that the 
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