FORESTRY OF WEST AFRICA. 



are put into a pan and fried, the oil oozes out into it 

 from them, and it is strained ; the fried nuts are put 

 into wooden mortar, pounded, and afterwards finely- 

 ground on a grinding-stone ; the mass is thrown into 

 a small quantity of boiling water and stirred con- 

 tinually, the oil rises as a supernatant fluid, and is 

 removed until none rises. The pulpy mass is removed 

 from the fire and spread out in a large bowl and 

 allowed to cool, after which it is again ground and 

 put by until the cool of the day, when it is mixed with a 

 little water to soften it. It is now beaten with the hand 

 for some time, until the air comes out in white pellets. 

 As soon as this is observed a large quantity of water 

 is put into it and the oil in some fatty substance 

 floats on the top, which is skimmed off and boiled 

 and the pure oil obtained. 



" Under the circumstances detailed above, the ex- 

 ported kernel could not retain its germinating power ; 

 besides, I think, like cocoa-nut and the other plants of 

 the palm tribe, for plantation the nut requires the 

 hard exterior covering for protection in the earth." 



The following table (page 44) is drawn up from the 

 General Imports into the United Kingdom of the 

 palm oil exported from West Africa as designated, 

 and is useful in showing in a measure the direction, 

 for eight years, of the export trade. 



In view of these statistics it may afford approximate 

 means of calculation to show how much we owe, apart 

 from its botanic interest, in the way of the immense 



