PALM OIL 67 



shipped from the Gold Coast during the last fifteen years 

 shows a rapid decrease from the average of the twenty 

 years previous. 



The tree which yields the oil of commerce is known 

 as Elccis guineensis, Jacq., and is placed in the Tribe 

 COCOINEJS of the Natural Order PALMM, together with 

 the genus Cocos, to which the Coconut palm belongs. 

 (Cf. Bull. Imp. Inst., 1909, p. 357 ; 1920, p. 209.) 



Habits of the Oil Palm. The oil palm occurs most 

 plentifully in the moist regions near the coast, although 

 it will not thrive on land which is perpetually marshy. 

 The palm becomes scarcer when the dense forests of 

 Ashanti are reached, but it is not entirely absent until 

 the ultra-forest tract commences. 



The tree often bears fruit when it has only attained 

 the height of ten feet, which it is said to do about the 

 seventh year, but the yield is supposed to increase 

 annually until the tree is thirty or more years old, often 

 continuing for a much longer time. It is not possible 

 to give any positive assurance on this point, as observa- 

 tions have not been recorded for any length of time. 



Although the oil is principally obtained from wild trees, 

 one extensive plantation in the Krobo Hills has been 

 successfully carried on for many years by the chief of Odu- 

 massi. His trees are planted at regular intervals and care 

 is given to their upkeep and cleanliness. Concessions have 

 recently been granted to Europeans for planting as well as 

 exploiting the wild palms, and experimental work in the 

 mechanical extraction of pericarp and kernel oil have 

 given some promise. Two British companies that have 

 erected extraction plants in the Western Province have 

 laid tram-lines designed to keep them constantly supplied 

 with the palm fruit. 



Trees that have become old and practically barren are 

 usually tapped for the extraction of " palm wine," being 

 frequently cut down for the purpose. In some parts of 

 the country fruitful trees are tapped while standing, and, 

 as this necessitates the base of the terminal shoot being 

 cut into, the tree is generally killed in consequence. 



Two crops of fruiting heads are yielded by a tree in full 

 bearing each year, but the autumn crop is heavier than 

 the earlier one, and the aggregate weight of fruit yielded 

 by a tree in one year is generally estimated at 40 Ibs. 



