INTRODUCTION. 3 



Germany, however, has always realised the importance 

 of Tropical Africa, and the dream of a Mittel-Afrika is 

 not yet abandoned. The importance to her of tropical 

 oilseeds alone may be gauged from the fact that on the 

 averages of the years 1912 and 1913, Germany imported 

 the following : 248,000 tons of palm kernels ; 109,000 

 tons copra (the dried fleshy part of coconuts) ; 445,000 

 tons linseed and linseed meal ; 217,000 tons cotton seed ; 

 125,000 tons soya beans ; and 84,000 tons peanuts (earth- 

 nuts). Considerable quantities of these, especially of 

 palm kernels, are now diverted to this country, and it is 

 of the greatest importance that the British farmer should 

 become familiar with the by-products produced from them. 



What is known in the trade as the " hardening " 

 process will doubtless, in the future, bring into com- 

 petition with the principal oils mentioned in this book, 

 many liquid and even low fish oils for soap-making and 

 edible purposes. There will always be a market for the 

 superior oils, but only at a price, and one which may 

 penalise the economic position of the Colonies. 



Before the war also, the bulk of our own palm-kernel 

 trade in West Africa went to Germany. 



In 1913 over 234,000 tons of palm kernels were ex- 

 ported from British West Africa, of which over 181,000 

 tons went to Germany and about 40,000 tons to this 

 country ; and in 1912 over 50,000 tons of the same 

 were exported from French West Africa, of which about 

 43,000 tons went to Germany and about 3,500 tons to 

 this country. 



Perhaps we were partly to blame for this state of 

 things. For example, at Hamburg, according to evidence 

 given to the Edible Nuts Committee, the cost of landing 



