FORESTRY OF WEST AFRICA. 



49 



"Some typical samples of Palm oil from which 

 water and impurities had been removed gave me the 

 following results " : — 



Brass. 



Benin. 



Lagos. 



New 

 Calabar, 



Old 

 Calabar. 



Grand 

 Bassa. 



Speciiic gravity at 15° C. 

 Saponiiication equivalent 

 Percentage of fatty acids 

 Solidifying point of fattyl 



acids J 



Combining weight ofl 



fatty acids • . . .] 



921-3 

 280*2 

 96-97 



44'4-45'8 

 =73'4 



922 '8 



282*2 



96-96*5 



45 •-45*5 



273*7 



920*3 

 285*4 

 <H-97 



926*9 

 280*9 

 94-<)7 



920*9 



284*5 



94" 2-95 



44*2-45*5 



273*2 



9=4*5 



278*8 



95*5-96*5 



41*5-42*3 



273*0 



As to the distribution of the Elais gidneensis, Dr. 

 Schweinfurth, in his ' Heart of Africa,' says : " On the 

 south of the Welle there is a very extensive cultiva- 

 tion of the oil palm. It is a tree that, although 

 common to the west coasts, has not hitherto been 

 found in the Nile districts, and consequently, like the 

 cola-nuts, which the wealthier of the Monbuttoo are 

 accustomed to chew, it yields a significant evidence of 

 the western associations of the people." And speaking 

 of the Monbuttoo country, he adds : " The oil palm 

 {Elais) is here at the extreme northern limit to 

 which cultivation has ever transferred it, as it is still 

 utterly unknown in all the districts of the Nile. Not 

 until we crossed the Welle did we find it planted 

 out in groves, and to judge from appearances it 

 had only been planted even there for purposes of 

 experiment." 



Nuts and Kernels. — "Nuts and Kernels" may 



E 



