PALM OIL AND KERNELS. 33 



depericarping is effected by a machine patented by 

 H. G. Fairfax (English Pat. 18050/1914). 



The oil, after being boiled, yields a pleasant and yellow- 

 coloured fat, which is sometimes eaten and relished by 

 Europeans residing in West Africa. Most of it, however, 

 is exported to Europe and used for various purposes 

 by .the soap-maker and the chandler, not to speak of 

 war purposes. Some oil is harder than others, notably 

 that from thin pericarps ; the softer oil is of two qualities, 

 (a) Lagos and (6) ordinary soft oil, both of these oils 

 fetching from 3 to 4 per ton more than the harder quality. 



Soap-makers and other users of palm oil are now 

 demanding a contract for their requirements, based on 

 purity and on the first grade of oil containing not more 

 than 18 per cent, of free fatty acids. Many of the 

 inferior grades will thus become unmarketable, except 

 at a seriously depreciated price. 



The softer the oil and the more glycerine therein (which 

 varies in inverse proportion with the acidity) the greater 

 its value. 



The chemical and physical constants of the palm oil 

 of commerce are : 



l K n 

 Specific gravity at ^^ , . 0-9209 to 0-9245 



Melting point, 24 to 42-5 C. 



Saponification value, . . . 196'3 to 205-5 



Iodine value, 63 to 57-4 



Reichert-Meissl value, .... 0-86 to 1-87 



Hehner value, 94-2 to 97 



Solidifying point of fatty acids varies from 35-8 to 46'4 C., usually 

 44-5 to 45-0 C. 



The kernels or seeds contained in the nuts or " stones " 

 of the oil palm are obtained by cracking the nuts by hand 

 or by the aid of a nut-cracking machine, after the orange- 



