MINOR VEGETABLE PRODUCTS AND THEIR SOURCES. 177 
being roasted and ground, are used as chocolate, and are said to make 
‘an excellent substitute for that beverage. 
Clove oil, or oil of cloves, is obtained from the flower-buds of Curyo- 
phyllus aromaticus, (Myrtacee.) It is associated with resinous, gummy, — 
and astringent matter. The buds yield 17 to 22 per cent. of oil, which 
is aromatic and acrid, and has been used as a condiment and stimulant 
carminative. It is also employed by distillers and manufacturers of 
soap. An oil called clove oil is distilled from the leaves of the cinnamon, 
which is said to be equal in aromatic pungency to that made from the 
clove. 
Cassia oilis obtained from the bark of Cinnamomum cassia, (Lawracee,) 
a tree of medium size cultivated in China, where the best oil is pre- 
pared. It isa yellow volatile oil, having much of the same properties 
as cinnamon, for which it is often substituted. 
Cinnamon oil is obtained from the bark of the cinnamon tree, Cinna- 
momum Zeylanicum, much cultivated in Ceylon, Cochin China, and 
other places in the Hast and the West Indies. The fragments which 
remain after peeling, sorting, and packing the marketable bark,.are 
roughly powdered and macerated in salt water for several days, and 
then distilled. The oil is at first of a yellow color, but soon assumes a 
reddish-brown hue. It has an odor intermediate between that of cinna- 
mon and vanilla, but possesses in a high degree both the sweet, burning ~ 
taste, and the agreeable aromatic smell of cinnamon. Highty pounds of 
fresh, newly prepared bark yield about 24 ounces of oil, which ficats 
upon the water, and 54 ounces of heavy oil, whichis precipitated to the 
bottom of the receiver. . 
Galem oil, or shea butter, of Africa, is produced from the seeds of 
Bassia Parkii, (Sapotacee,) a medium-sized tree growing abundantly on 
the banks of the river Niger. The fruit when ripe is as large as the egg 
of the guinea hen, of oval shape, and covered with a pale green pellicle, 
beneath which is a farinaceous pulp of an agreeable flavor. The fruit, 
after having been dried in the sun, is-pounded in a mortar until reduced 
to flour. It is then mixed with water, and boiled slowly for a short 
time, when the greasy particles become detached and are collected on 
the surface. When cold it thickens to the consistency of butter, and 
will keep fresh for two years. It is used for food; also for anointing 
sores and relieving pains, and for burning in lamps. It is an article of 
considerable trade with the natives of Western Africa. 
Epie, or Mowha oil, is expressed from the seeds of Bassia latifolia, or 
Mahwah tree of Bengal. It is of a greenish-white color, and of the 
consistency of butter in a temperature below 70°, andis used for illumin- 
ation, the manufacture of soap, and for various culinary purposes. A 
spirit, resembling whisky is distilled from the flowers, and cousumed 
in great quantities by the natives. — 
Phulwara, or Phoolwa oil, is produced from the seed-kernels of Bassia 
butyracea, or butter tree of Nepaul. The kernels are placed in a bag 
and pressed. The oil or fat, which is of a white color, immediately 
hardens. It is used as a soap and for burning in lamps; is soluble in 
warm alcohol, and is completely melted at a temperature of 120°. 
Illepe oil is a product of Bassia longifolia, and is used by the inhabit-. 
ants of Ceylon for burning and for cooking. Itis also much used for 
anointing the skin, and is admirably adapted to removing the unctuos- 
ities caused by excessive jferspiration, and for keeping the skin soft, 
pliable, and glossy, which is so conducive to health in tropical climates. 
The oil is white, and fuses at 80°. 
pote oil is obtained from the nut of Attalea Cohune, (Palmacee,) a 
‘ A ‘8 
