OIL BEANS, SEEDS AND NUTS 459 



Apocynacese. — Although the seeds of Funtumia elastica yield 

 oil, it was not favourably reported on. Perhaps now, with the greater 

 value of all the oil seeds, some use could be made of it. 



Ebenacese, Diospyros Barteri. — This yields the Ebony nut, which 

 is small, but edible. The Benin natives are very fond of it. It has 

 not been exported. 



Diospyros crassiflora or Diospyros dendo have a fruit about the 

 size of a large green plum, which contains four long, thin, almond-like 

 nuts, which have rather a bitter taste. Although evidently oil-bearing, 

 they have not been properly examined or tested as to the exact 

 content of oil or other products. 



Rosacese. — Although the Chrysobalamus sp., or Niko nut, is com- 

 paratively well known, it is by no means fully utilized. Then there 

 is Parinarium Gabunense, yielding the Mahogany nut, of uncertain 

 value. 



Anacardiacese. — The Anacardium occidentale, yielding the Cashew 

 nut, is so far only utilized near Lagos, where it is growing as a garden 

 escape. No proper plantations have yet been made of this tree. 



Amongst the Palmse, besides the Oil Palm, we have the Bottle 

 Toddy or Fan Palm, Borassus flabelUfer, yielding three or four nuts 

 in each fruit. These are oil containing, but of unknown value. 

 Considering the large areas in all the West African Colonies where 

 the Fan Palm is found, some use should be made of the large number 

 of nuts produced. 



Then we have Hyphaene, the Doum Palm, which yields a nut 

 used for making buttons. Here, again, the large quantities which 

 are found in Africa ensure a steady amount of produce being 

 placed on the market, provided a remunerative price is always paid 

 for the nuts. Finally there is Phcenix dactylifera, the Date Palm. 

 Although this is more of a fruit than a nut, it is included here, as it 

 is found in the forest groves of the North. Considering the value 

 of its produce and the constant demand there is for it, a wide extension 

 of its area of cultivation is to be recommended. 



Ochnacese, Lophira alata. — This is the dwarf Red Ironwood tree, 

 which yields the " Niam " fat or " Meni " oil. The fruit is roughly 

 conical, consisting of a reddish-brown fibrous shell, enclosing one 

 kernel. The kernel is conical in shape, and about five-eighths of an 

 inch in width. The inside is a pale-yellow colour. The fruit has 

 two uneven-sized wings, the larger being over an inch in length and 

 nearly half an inch in width. According to the Imperial Institute ^ 

 the fat is semi-solid and of a yellowish colour. The kernel contains 

 31-1 to 43 per cent, of fat. The fat is suitable for soap-making. 



According to the analysis of the Imperial Institute the results 

 were as follows : For soap-making it is considered to be of the same 



1 Official Report, 88, Oil Seeds, Fats and Waxes, Imperial Institute, 1914. 



