OIL BEANS, SEEDS AND NUTS 455 



Apparently an oil seed, probably Philiodiscus, a member of the 

 Sapindacese family, has been examined at the Imperial Institute 

 and has been found to contain a non-drying oil, which was free from 

 taste and smell. It should, therefore, be of value for eating or for 

 making a white soap. 



Sapotaceae, Butyrospermum Parhii. — In recent years larger quan- 

 tities of Shea nuts, which are the product of this tree, have been 

 exported from West Africa, especially Nigeria, as also Shea butter, 

 which is manufactured locally from the nuts. In the varieties Tengba 

 and Bomo the quantity varied from " 54-5 per cent, to 48 per cent.," 

 and these were obtained from the Southern Provinces of Nigeria. In 

 the two varieties exported from the Northern Provinces, those known 

 as Eko showed a length of nut varying from 1-5 to 2-5 inches, and the 

 Giddouchi variety 1-4 inches long. Owing to the wide prevalence of 

 this tree much larger quantities could be exported, but many of the 

 forests containing it are situated far away from means of trans- 

 port, and no very suitable method has yet been found of manufacturing 

 the butter on a big scale locally. At present it is made by certain 

 women who know the process, which takes nearly three days to 

 complete. According to the Imperial Institute the results of the 

 analysis of Shea butter are : ^ 



The fat obtained from the Northern Provinces and the Gold Coast 

 shows very similar contents. 



Mimusops, sp. Djave ?. — The nuts of this species closely resemble 

 those of the Shea Butter Tree. The nuts are a light-brown colour, 

 about two inches long, and one to one and a half inches in diameter, 

 with roundly pointed ends. Rather more than half the surface of the 

 nut is smooth and shiny, and the other half is rough and dull, and 

 the whole of it is very hard. When dry it is, however, comparatively 

 easily separated from the kernel. The fresh kernels are cream- 

 coloured. According to the Imperial Institute ^ the yield of fat 

 extracted by solvents is 60-2 per cent., or 37-7 per cent, from the 



^ Colonial Report, 88, Oil Seeds, Fats and Waxes, Imperial Institute, 1914. 



