KOKAM BUTTER 



\r ik n, 



GARCINIA 



MANOOSTANA 



MangoctMte 

 a yellow <<UM which is in oiui,|,. in u.it.-r. I. nt \\itli HpiritH of turpentine gives Oom. 



ititul and piTiiiiiinMit yi-llow \'\I:M-H for metallic surfaces. In certain Yellow Vwntab. 

 ba the I' uk is Kinployed to pmdii. yellow DYB used in colouring Dye. 



doth fur t lm piriiii'iits n! I'.uddliist monks. I Hmrun (Dyf-a and Dyeing, Aam, 

 _'.")) ni"iit ions thai its iiso in dyeing is unknown in that province. Tim 



ns at tho hr^iiuiiii^ of .lmn, and a of the size and form of a small Fruit. 

 orange. It is acid in taste, but otherwise good, and makes a very fine preserve. 



\ ooi > is Mnt. us.xl Tor any economic purpose. 



G. heterandra, Wail. An evergreen tree of the hills of Burma up to 

 3,000 feet. It is the thanattaw or tha-nat-tau, and yields a superior quality of 

 piuilioge sometimes called Arakan. [Cf. Hanbury Journ. Agri.-Hort. Soc. Ind. 



), 1869, x., 121.] A sample from Tavoy, when analysed, gave: resin (l 

 Pr cent. ; gum 23-5. [Gamble, I.e. 65.] 



G. indlca, Chois. ; Rec. Bot. Surv. Ind., i., 53, 56 ; Nairne, Flowering Kokam 

 PL W. Ind., 1894, 25 ; Woodrow, Gard. in Ind., 1899, 174-5 ; Cooke, Butter. 

 Fl. Pres. Bomb., 1903, i., 76 ; Kew Mus. Guide, 1907, 21 ; Kokam Butter, 

 MaiiLjosteen Oil or Brindonia Tallow Tree, kokam, ratambi, amsul, bhirand, 

 katambi, bhirandel, murgal mara, dhupadi-enne, murinahuli, brinddo, etc. 



This slender tree with its drooping branches is found in the forests of the 

 Konkan, Kanara, Coorg and Wynaad, and is often planted, especially in the 

 southern districts of the Bombay Presidency. It thrives particularly well on 

 the lower slopes of the Nilgiris, and a writer in Indian Gardening (March 16, 

 1899, 108) recommends its cultivation for the fruit as a by-product on lower 

 elevation estates. From the SEEDS of the fruit a valuable OIL is extracted known 

 as kokam butter. It is obtained in one of several ways by boiling, churning, 

 or simply pressing the seeds in an ordinary oil-mill. In the Indian bazars 

 it is found in the form of egg-shaped or oblong lumps, of a whitish colour, at 

 ordinary temperatures, firm, dry and friable, yet greasy to the touch. Examina- 

 tion of the glycerine under the microscope proves it to be crystalline. Usually 

 it contains a considerable amount of impurity, but by filtration it may be ob- 

 tained perfectly pure, transparent, and of a light-yellow colour. It melts at 

 98 F. According to Fluckiger and Hanbury it contains stearic, myristic and 

 oleic acid. In medicine it is considered nutritive, demulcent, astringent and 

 emollient. It is also used as a substitute for cod-liver oil, and in the preparation 

 of ointments. The FKUIT, sometimes called the wild mangosteen, has long been Fruit. 

 considered an article of food. Garcia de Orta (1563) refers to it under the name 

 of brindols, and in his note on Linschoten's account of Indian fruits Paludanus 

 (1596) calls it brindoijus and speaks of its sour taste it is called brindao in 

 Goa to-day. Woodrow mentions that a statement made by Graham in the 

 Bombay Courier (June 12, 1830), to the effect that it is used at Goa for adul- 

 terating ghi, had been denied by a writer in The Indian Times. At the present 

 day the dried fruit is used as a condiment in curries, and in the preparation 

 of acidulous drinks. A considerable trade in kokam butter is carried on by 

 the Goanese. [Cf. Pharmacog. Ind., 1890, i., 163-7 ; Moodeen Sheriff, Mat. 

 Med. Mad., 1891, 45-6 ; Andes, Veg. Fats and Oils, 1897, 216, 218 ; Waring, 

 Baz. Med. Ind., 1897, 83-4 ; Wright, An. and Veg. Fixed Oils, Fats, etc., 1903, 

 299, 353 ; Imp. Inst. Tech. Repts., 1903, 128, 132.] 



Seeds. 

 Oil. 



G. Mang-ostana, Linn. ; Nairne, I.e. 25 ; Woodrow, I.e. 173 ; Firminger, 

 M an. Gard. Ind. (eft. Cameron), 1904,289; KewMus. Guide, 1907,21. Mango- 

 steen, mangustan, mustah, mengkop, mimbu, youngzalai, manggis. An ever- 

 green tree of the Malay Peninsula, indigenous to the Molucca Islands. [Kew 

 Bull, 1898, 26.] Fairly extensively cultivated in Burma (Tenasserim) and 

 in a few special localities in India, such as the Barlidr gardens, Nilgiri hills. 



Though frequent efforts have been made in Bengal and Western India 

 to grow this tree, it has not been known to fruit successfully. In Ceylon, 

 Trinidad and Jamaica better results appear to have been attained. A 

 warm moist, insular climate seems essential to success. In the open 

 plains it does not thrive so well as in valleys with light shade. Is liable 

 to the disease known as^gamboge canker. 



553 



Mango- 

 steen. 



