OIB PALM 9 



fruit, however, that of Southern Nigeria is separated into 

 several kinds, varying in the relative proportion of 

 pericarp and kernel, and these will be referred to later. 



The method of preparing palm oil varies to a large 

 degree in the different localities. The best quality of 

 oil is that produced in the Western Province. The oil, 

 which on the market is classed as " Lagos fine grade," 

 and obtains the highest price among West African 

 oils, is made from the fresh fruits boiled and pounded 

 in the manner described for the Sierra Leone oil, 

 but the extracted oil is further cleared by straining and 

 boiling until a uniformly clear and limpid product is 

 obtained. 



An inferior quality is that made at Oshogbo and north 

 of Ibadan generally. The fruits, after having been boiled 

 for about three hours, have the fibrous pulp sufficiently 

 loosened, so that the whole is easily separated from the 

 nuts by pounding in a wooden mortar. The fibrous mass 

 thus obtained is then put into a pit, which is filled to 

 a depth of about eighteen inches with cold water, and the 

 oil is expressed by women and young girls, who tread 

 it out with their feet. After leaving the water undis- 

 turbed for a short time, the oil rises to the surface, from 

 which it is skimmed, or it may be precipitated, by the 

 removal of a plug placed in the side of the pit, into a 

 vessel placed to receive it. The treading process is re- 

 peated until most of the oil is extracted. The oil is then 

 separated from the water which it contains by boiling. 

 The fibrous pulp is next removed, strained in baskets, 

 and is placed upon rocks to dry in the sun, after which 

 it is pressed into large balls, which are sold in the local 

 markets at Id. each. Much of this finds its way to 

 Lagos Town, where it is sold for fuel at the rate of Sd. 

 for 8J Ib. In this connection it may be mentioned that 

 there appears to be no foundation for the statement 

 which has been made to the effect that this residual 

 pulp is exported in large quantities from Lagos for the 

 further extraction of oil by chemical means in Europe. 

 An illustration is given showing a girl straining fibrous 

 pulp in an oil pit at Oshogbo (Fig. 22). 



In the Central and Eastern Provinces " hard " oil is 

 the commercial name applied to the kind which is gener- 

 ally made. At Onitsha the natives may be seen bringing 

 7 



