FORESTRY OF WEST AFRICA, 339 



Arts, Manufactures, and Commercial Products,' p. 

 1406. 

 Distribution : Upper Guinea. 



West Indian Filberts, &c. {Entada scandens, Benth.). 

 — A large climber of the forest. In Manila, the bark is 

 used under the name of "gogo," for washing the hair 

 by ladies ; and in Ceylon, the fibre which is called 

 " Poospatte " is employed for making ropes. The seeds 

 are used as an antifebrile medicine by the Ghaut 

 people, and in various parts of the Tropics are roasted 

 and eaten after having been steeped in water ; they 

 are also made into snuff-boxes, spoons, &c. The 

 Nepalese use the kernels for washing their hair, and 

 the Bengalese washermen for crimping their linen. — 

 'Manual of Indian Timbers,' Gamble, p. 145, &c. 



Distribution : Upper Guinea, Lower Guinea. 



Nete des Yoloffs, Houlle des Sereres, Nitta or Nutta, 

 Arbre Sacre, Doura of the Soudan, African Locust 

 Tree, &c. {Parkia biglobosa, Benth.). — Tree, forty to 

 fifty feet high. Wood useful for carpentry work. 

 The fruit-pulp is eaten and also prepared into a 

 pleasant beverage. The natives of the Soudan roast 

 the seeds, and then bruise and allow them to ferment in 

 water until they become putrid, when they are care- 

 fully washed, pounded into powder, and made into 

 cakes which are excellent sauce for all kinds of food 

 but have an unpleasant smell. The torrefied seeds 

 are used as coffee or chocolate. — "■ Catalogue des 



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