April 1, 1864.] THE TECHNOLOGIST. 



THE PALAIS DE L' INDUSTRIE, PARIS. 397 



ance and magnificence of its productions, we may justly conclude that 

 Algeria may come to the assistance of the mother country. Another 

 important reflection is that Algeria will become, sooner or later, the 

 principal place from which French industry — at the present day greatly 

 dependent upon foreign countries — will procure most of its raw mate- 

 rials, so that it will be enabled to compete with those foreign powers, 

 which at present supply the French market. 



Passing now to the general Colonial collection. In the first 

 large room our eyes are arrested by a beautiful and varied assort- 

 ment of woods, India, Senegal, the Antilles, and tbe Island of Bour- 

 bon furnishing the greater part ; a simple enumeration even would be 

 too long. These specimens exhibit a richness of shading, a fineness 

 in the undulations, a polish and brightness which speak prominently in 

 their favour, and the working up of the woods afford proof of these striking 

 qualities. The precious palisander wood finds here a powerful rival 

 in the green ebony, which is procured from a tree belonging to the 

 Bignoniacese, viz., Tecoma leucoxylon. A piano, worked with excpiisite 

 taste, shows all the advantages which this much cheaper wood offers. 

 Our attention is next drawn to a money-chest, made of the wood of the 

 Manchineel, (Hippomane Mancinella). The mere name of this very 

 poisonous tree of the Euphorbiacese frightened travellers some time 

 ago, but it has now been discovered to be much less dangerous than 

 was supposed. The wood is said to be well adapted for making furniture 

 of high value. The wood of the " Avocatier," (Persea gratissima) of 

 the Acacia LebbeJc, with its beautiful blackness, the wood of several 

 Myrtacese, the Lignum vitce, the Santalum. Rosewood and mahogany 

 also deserve to be mentioned, and recommend themselves by the speci- 

 mens displayed. 



The newly-opened museum in the Old Orangery in the Royal 

 Gardens, Kew, shows a great many specimens of wood which are grow- 

 ing in French colonies. France imported in 1856 more than one and a 

 half million francs worth of wood from her colonies. 



In entering the second room, we make acquaintance with the different 

 oils, fats, and soaps, as well as with the oil-seeds and fruits which pro- 

 duce them. We find here several productions, the consumption of which 

 was formerly very small owing to limited supplies, but the import of 

 which now increases every year. To this category belongs the 

 palm-oil obtained from the west coast of Africa, as, for instance, in the 

 districts of Gabon, Whydah, and Cazamance. It is the produce of a 

 splendid palm, the Elais Guineensis, which the indigenous inhabitants 

 call their friend ; and certainly it deserves this epithet, for its produce 

 is as various as it is copious. The oil especially renders it one of the 

 most valuable palms. The preparation is very simple. The fruits are 

 gathered as soon as they are quite ripe, and thrown into small troughs, 

 which are made in the soil by casting up low dams. Negroes, armed 

 with sticks, to the top of which sharp blades are attached, then separate 



