198 



The Philippine Jowmal of Science 



1914 



application in coagulating rubber latex. The charcoal from 

 shells is excellent, and enjoys a growing demand. It would 

 seem as if this offers opportunities for profit in the Philippines. 

 Table XV, showing freight rates from Colombo to New York 

 and to London, is included for comparison with rates from 

 Manila. 



Table XV. — Freight rates from Colombo in pesos per ton (November S, 



1913). 



Product. 



Coconut oil 



Coconut, desiccated in cases 



Coconuts, in bags 



Coir, in pressed bales.. 



Coir yarn and fiber, in bundles or coils 

 Coir yarn and fiber, in crewed bales. .. 



Coir bristle fiber, in pressed bales 



Copra, in bags. 



To- 



New 

 York. 



London. 



17.50 



13.75 



18.75 



13.75 



16.25 



11.25 



16.25 



11.25 



9.25 



7.50 



16.25 



n.25 



16.25 



11.25 



17.50 



15.00 



Coconut butter is rapidly becoming important, and a brief 

 outline of the method employed in its manufacture should be 

 of interest. The following process is extensively utilized in 

 Bohemia, where the output has increased during the past six 

 years from 40 tons a day to nearly 300 tons, and the price 

 has correspondingly advanced from 40 to 60 pesos per 100 

 kilograms. 



The oil is extracted from copra in the usual manner with oil 

 presses. It contains soap fats, and frequently has an unpleasant 

 odor. Powdered chalk is added to the crude oil, and settles to 

 the bottom after absorbing the soap fat. The free oil is passed 

 through 4 or 5 filters, and is run into a steam-heated tank, 

 where the temperature is raised to about 270 °C. until the oil 

 is clear and begins to bubble. It is then passed through an 

 automatic weighing machine and subsequently run into molds, 

 cooled, and packed. 



The combined soap fats are freed from chalk by treatment 

 with sulphuric acid, and are sold to manufacturers of soap. 

 The addition of sesame oil to render the butter more pliant is a 

 common practice. Coco butter keeps well even in warm weather, 

 either raw or refined, and closely resembles oleomargarine. 



