162 PHILIPPINE RESINS, GUMS, AND OILS 
INDIAN ALMOND OIL 
€ 
The kernel is edible and yields about 50 per cent of Indian 
almond oil, which is a sweet, savory, fixed oil. It closely resem- 
bles the oil of sweet almonds, for which it could well be sub- 
stituted. 
According to Lewkowitsch * the seeds of Terminalia catappa 
(country almond) contain 48.3 per cent of oil. Hooper + states 
that this oil has the following constants: 
Specific gravity. at; 157 (C.c2t eS eee ree ere 0.9206 
Melting point, GC. 242... See eee dee ea eee 3.5 
Saponification’ Value 220. .0--2csc¢ secon caste ea noe sees eee eee 203.04 
Per cent. 
Todime: ‘value’: cst.ccbee ose etree ee ee eee ee 81.8 ‘ 
Insoluble “acids--unsapomniiiables eee 95.2 
Titer “test, C5205 os ee eee ae a 42 
Acid Value. + 2.22% 2 ee ee atin 
Concerning this oil, Watt = say: 
The kernels yield a valuable oil, similar to almond oil in flavour, odour, 
and specific gravity, but a little more deeply coloured; it deposits stearine 
on keeping. It possesses the advantage of not becoming rancid so readily 
as true almond oil, and if it could be produced cheaply would doubtless 
compete successfully with it. As the tree is abundant everywhere and 
the fruit could be doubtless obtained very cheaply, “Indian almond oil” 
appears to merit the attention of dealers. It was first brought prominently 
to notice by a Mr. A. T. Smith of Jessor, who in 18438 wrote to the 
Agr.-Horticultural Society of India an account of its properties and method 
of preparation. Oil, made experimentally by him, was expressed in thee 
common native mill—a sort of pestle and mortar—from some fruit gathered 
during a few mornings from under the trees in the neighborhood. After 
a sufficient quantity had been gathered and allowed to dry in the sun 
for a few days, which facilitates breaking the nut, four coolies were 
set to work with small hammers, to separate the kernels from their 
shells. In four days they broke a sufficient quantity for one mill, 
viz., 6 seers. This quantity put into the mill produced in three hourse 
about 3 pucka seers of oil. Mr. Smith remarks that the actual pressing 
of the oil is of no consideration, since the value of the oil-cake, to feed 
pigs, etc., is sufficient to cover the expense, but that the breaking of the 
nuts is a tedious and costly operation, and is a consideration requiring 
particular attention, with a view to its reduction, if manufacture of the 
oil on an extensive scale should be attempted. The product of the experi- 
ment, filtered through blotting paper, was of the colour of pale sherry, a 
circumstance which Mr. Smith explains is due to the rind being allowed 

* Lewkowitsch, J., Oils, fats, and waxes. Volume 3 (1915), page 451. 
+ Hooper, D., Annual report, Indian Museum, 1907-1908, page 13. 
+ Watt, G., A dictionary of the economic products of India, Volume 6, 
Part 4 (1898), page 23. 
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