171 
Mr. Evans (Gold Coast) concludes his report as follows :~— 
“With good macadamized roads, suitable for motor trafic, to 
convey the products to the coast, and cheap light machinery that 
would satisfactorily manipulate the ot] palm fruits, the output of 
palm oil and kernels from this colony would rapidly increase, but 
unless these are available I am inelined to think the Oil Palm 
industry will eventually die out.” 
THE PREPARATION OF THE OIL. 
Pericarp Oil._Very little advance appears to have taken place in 
the mode of preparation of palm oil, and the general quality of the 
oil produced does not appear to have undergone any marked 
improvement, Lagos oil still commands the highest price,* though 
some of the oil from Sierra Leone is said to be of equal quality. 
Whether the superior character of the Lagos oil is due to the 
character of the palms or to the method of preparation is not clear, 
but it would seem advisable that the mode of preparation of the oil 
should be carefully investigated in order that the best return may 
stage in the manufacture . . . is marked by great care and 
cleanliness, and the result is a remarkably pure sample of oil. 
1e description there given refers only to the Pericarp oil, and 
corresponds very closely to the reports of the process recently 
received. 
aihtey 2 following were the prices ruling in the Liverpool market at the end of 
= viet c.2. «& 
2% 0 0 
Lagos Ou eee oe soe one eee eee een 
selon fethocted) a a ae ee 23 19 0 
onny/ nee <n . sr cas a oe 
Bee ive «28 . 
Niger, Brass and New Calabarkinds ... 0. aus 225 
“Tt will bs noted ak Laas OF still heads the list, and realises £1 15s. per 
ton more tham the Niger, Brass, and New Calabar Oils.” (Birtwistle). 
