NATURE AND VALUE OF FOOD. 53 



the cake, and never found the butter affected by it. We have 

 known others equally successful. Few people steam now, even 

 when there are facilities. The practice is not on the increase, 

 and we must continue to regard the hot, unpleasant taste of 

 rape cake as a serious impediment to its extensive use. 



Smith's Palm-nut Meal, which results from the grinding and 

 pressing of palm kernels, possesses considerable fattening 

 properties, owing to the large percentage of vegetable oil which 

 it contains. This oil is very similar in appearance to lard, and 

 appears to be readily convertible into animal fat. Dr. J. 

 Voelcker's analysis is as follows : 



Moisture 9-12 . 



Oil and fatty matter 12*50 -\ 



Albuminous compounds (flesh-forming matters)* ... 1550 > 63'45 



Mucilage, gum, sugar, &c 35'45 J 



Woody fibre (cellulose) 23*69 



Mineral matter (ash) 3*74 



100-00 

 * Containing nitrogen 2*48 per cent. 



We have connected the meal with the name of Messrs A. M. 

 Smith and Co., of Kent Street Oil Mill, Liverpool, because they 

 were the original importers of palm kernels, and we believe they 

 are the only crushers who sell a meal with this high percentage 

 of fatty matter. As it is perfectly certain that the value of this 

 food depends upon the oil, it is evident that the sample con- 

 taining 12 or 13 per cent, must be much more valuable than 

 having only two-thirds that quantity. The meal is dry and 

 harsh looking, palm oil being solid at ordinary temperatures. 

 It is sweet, and will keep good for any length of time. Some 

 patience is required in accustoming animals to its rather gritty 

 taste; when once they take to it, however, they eat it freely. 

 IFor cattle on grass, when liable to scour, we consider its use in 

 conjunction with decorticated cotton-cake is of great value ; the 

 mixture possesses high feeding properties, and affects the 

 manure much in the same degree as linseed cake. The price of 

 this meal is from hi. 10s. to Ql. a ton. About the year 1876 

 this firm commenced to crush the flesh of the cocoanut, which 

 they imported from Singapore and the neighbouring islands. 

 The result is a very feeding cake, containing oil and a fair pro- 



