334 OILS AND OIL SEEDS 



Margosa oil is used for the destruction of lice, and it is 

 applied as a dressing in sores on cattle to prevent flies 

 from affecting the wound or ulcer. To the European, 

 however, the odour of Margosa oil is intolerable, as its 

 smell is like rotten garlic. 



It is believed that this tree, planted near villages, acts 

 as a prophylactic against malaria. It is nowhere found 

 as a forest tree in Ceylon, but its occurrence in abandoned 

 villages has sometimes led to the erroneous idea that it 

 is a wild species here. 



(8) Kokoona seylanica, Thw. (1853) (" Kokun," Sing.). 

 One of the Celastracese, and chiefly confined to the 

 wet forests, and occasionally found in some abundance. 



In the large Gillimale village, through which the 

 Pilgrims' path from Ratnapura to Adam's Peak passes, 

 a small local trade is carried on during the pilgrim 

 season in the oil obtained from the seed of this plant. 



The oil is a thick, dark, tar-like liquid, obtained by 

 expression from the pounded seeds, and is used entirely 

 for removing or keeping off leeches from the feet and 

 legs of the pilgrims. By smearing- the oil over the 

 feet, the leeches are destroyed, the effect being to cause 

 the animal to fall off and die, much in the same manner 

 as follows from the application of strong tobacco juice. 

 The oil is sold for as much as Rs. 8 per pint, and is 

 locally known as " Pottu-eta-tel." It is said to be highly 

 poisonous and intensely bitter, but its use appears to be 

 very little known outside the village named, where the 

 writer first found it in use in 1890. 



(9) Bassia longifolia, Linn. (1771) ("Mi," Sing.; 

 "Illupai," Tamil). A very magnificent deciduous tree, 

 generally found in the low-country, where it has been 

 introduced and to a great extent become naturalized. It 

 is, however, rarely found above 2,000 ft. altitude, except 

 under very favourable conditions. 



This sapotaceous tree affords abundant crops of seed, 

 which are pounded, and the fixed oil is obtained by ex- 

 pression; various methods are in use for that purpose, 

 such as lever-presses, wedge-presses, and rope compres- 

 sion. 



The oil is used as an illuminant, and at one time was 



