256 



3. PROPORTION CENTESIMALE DE PULPE ET DE NOYAU DANS LE FRUIT. 

 ier echantillon : 



26 chantillon : o (coque 6376: amande 16-24). 



4. COMPOSITION CENTESIMALE DE LA PULPE. 

 Eau 3-29 a 4^50, matieres grasses 77*14 a 65'48. 



5. COMPOSITION CENTESIMALE DES AMANDES. 

 Eau 8*50 a IO'8, matieres grasses 45*9 a 47'8. 



On voit que ces fruits sont d'un poids tres sensiblement 

 superieur a celui des fruits de la Cote d'lvoire et du Dahomey. 

 D'autre part, la pulpe est tres riche en matieres grasses, mais 

 la proportion de coque contenue dans les noyaux est tres 

 elevee : 



Ccques, 70*4 a 85-5 pour cent ; amandes, 29-6 a I4'45 pour cent. 



Le rendement en palmistes est done faible, et Tepaisseur de 

 coques pouvant atteindre 6 mm. le concassage de noyaux est 

 difficile. 



[TRANSLATION.] 

 OIL PALM FRUITS IN THE GABOON. 



The oil palm is one of the most valuable products of the 

 Gaboon, but the trade and the natives have not yet exploited 

 this source of wealth to the fullest extent, and numerous 

 Elaeis palms are not yet worked, even in the easily accessible 

 coast regions. 



Climate and soil are extremely favourable in the Gaboon to 

 the oil palm, which yields an abundance of fruit estimated at an 

 average of eight to ten bunches of 12 kilograms, representing 

 100 kilograms of bunches per palm per annum. These bunches, 

 moreover, bear fruits which are more bulky than anywhere 

 else in Africa. 



Analyses carried out on samples collected on the banks of 

 the Ogoue have given the following results (/' Agronomic 

 Colonialc', January 31, 1914): 



(i) YIELD OF FRUITING HEADS. 



Total Fresh fruits containing Dry fruits, 



weight about 20 per cent, of water 4 per cent, of water 



Kilos. Kilos. Kilos. 



Large head ... 20 ... 9-8, or 49 per cent. 



Ordinary head 13 ... 7'8, or 60 per cent. ... 6-5, or 50 



Small head ... 4*85 ... 2*9, or 597 ,, ... 2*4, or 49-4 ,, 



t 4'40 ...27,0161 ,, ... 2-3, or 56-8 ,, 



