376 



The World's Commercial Products 



the nuts singly between two 

 stones. The shells are thrown 

 aside and the "palm kernels" 

 collected either for the prepa- 

 ration of the oil or for export 

 to Europe. 



The bulk of the kernel oil 

 used in Europe is prepared 

 from imported kernels. The 

 latter are screened to remove 

 impurities and ground between 

 rollers. The oil is expressed in 

 hydraulic presses or extracted 

 by the action of solvents, the 

 expressed cake being used as 

 a cattle food. Palm-kernel oil 

 is white in colour, and in the 

 fresh state has a pleasant smell 

 and an agreeable nutty flavour. 

 Coco-nut Oil. The Coco- 

 nut Palm is the most useful 

 and at the same time one of 

 the most ornamental trees of 

 the tropics. Ceylon is and has 

 been for some time the prin- 

 cipal producing country, and in 

 addition to the very numerous 

 small properties owned by natives, extensive groves have been planted by Europeans since 

 1841. In India the presidency of Madras is the chief centre of production, notably along the 

 Malabar and Coromandel Coasts. The native state of Travancore, with which Cochin is 

 associated, exports copra, coco-nut oil, coir, and nuts. The tree flourishes also in Malaya and 

 the Philippines. Coco -nut trees yield the most valuable production of the South Sea Islands, 

 all the export being in the form of copra. From East Africa, the Seychelles, and Mauritius, 

 in addition to the local consumption there is an export of copra and oil. In the West Indies 

 and Brazil the, palm is largely cultivated to furnish the demand for nuts that exists in the 

 United States ; Trinidad and Jamaica both export coco-nuts. 



The roughly triangular fruit, about the size of a man's head, is covered with a thick fibrous 

 husk which yields coir (see p. 324), and within, a hard shell encloses one seed. The oil is 

 obtained from the kernel of the ripe nuts, and may be expressed locally, or the kernel is cut into 

 portions and dried, when it receives the name of copra (see p. 369). 



There are a large number of other vegetable fats or tallows that regularly or occasionally 

 arrive on European markets. It is only possible to mention a few of these. 



Carapa Fat is a thick and colourless fat, melting about 24° C, that is derived from the 

 seeds of species of Carapa, belonging to the order Meliaceae. Jarapa guyanensis, a lofty tree, 

 grows in Brazil, Guiana and on the West Coast of Africa ; Carapa moluccensis is found on 

 the coasts of India, Ceylon, and the Moluccas. The kernels yield from fifty to sixty per cent, 

 of fat which is expressed in France and the United Kingdom for use in soap-making. 



Mahua Butter is derived from the seeds of Bassia latifolia, the " Mahua " tree of India, 

 of the order Sapotaceae, grown widely in Central India. In Southern India Bassia longifolia 

 takes its place. The seeds contain about fifty per cent, of fat. 



By permission of Messrs. Greenwood & Batley, Ltd. 



ANGLO-AMERICAN SEED-CRUSHING ROLLS 



