OIL BEANS, SEEDS AND NUTS 453 
inches. The natives use the kernels, after they have removed the 
hard skin, for making soup. It makes an excellent dish with rather 
a sweet taste. According to the investigations of the Imperial 
Institute + an analysis of the oil gave the following results : 
Specific gravity at 15°C. .. és 0:9184 
Acid value .. wid a ie 5°5 
Saponification value Re is 194°0 
Iodine value ae vs se 106-0 
Hehner value 6 wa as 95°5 
Titer test .. Sie we ae 36°0° C. 
The oil could be used for soap-making, and was valued at £29 
per ton. 
In the family Moringex there is Moringa pterygosperma, the Ben 
oil-seed tree. It is a common tree of the upper part of the Oyo, Benin 
and Ogoja provinces of Nigeria. It is also found in Borgu and other 
of the Northern Provinces. On examination by the Imperial Insti- 
tute the kernels were found to contain 38 per cent. of oil, pale-yellow 
in colour and of a pleasant taste. The kernel is difficult to extract. 
At the Imperial Institute} the analysis showed : 
No. 3 from 
No. 1 from No. 2 from 
: Undecorti- 
Extracted Oil. Decorticated Seed. cated Seed. 
j Cold Hot Hot 
Liquid. Solid. Pressed. Pressed. Pressed. 
Specific gravity at a tia 0-914 —_ 0-902 0-898 0°913 
Acid value es oa 15°3 _ 49°7 100°5 2°3 
Saponification value .. -- | 189°2 194°4 | 179-2 178°7 186-0 
Iodine value... -- | 70°7 68°3 | 100°3 88°0 67-7 
Unsaponifiable matter . a4 _ _ 1°67 2°69 _ 
CoMPOSITION OF CAKE FROM BEN SEEDS. 
No. 2, No. 3 Unde- 
Decorticated. corticated. 
Per cent. Per cent. 
Moisture .. a wie we a a oa 5°96 75 
Albuminoids ee ace is of a 24°12 i 30°8 
Other nitrogenous substances ae A a a 34°81 
Fat a ate ne ro ee a ae 11°27 14°5 
Fibre ae ag ag oe ate a ar 4°32 21°9 
Ash a5 ois es sea 5°66 4°5 
Other non- ‘nitrogenous substances ae a st 13°86 20°9 
From the Simarubezx there is Balanites Zgyptica, Betu oil-tree of 
the Northern Provinces of Nigeria. Although it yields 58-7 per cent. 
1 Colonial Report, 88, Oil Seeds, Fats and Waxes, Imperial Institute, 1914. 
