THE TECHNOLOGIST. [April I, 1864. 



398 FRENCH COLONIAL PRODUCTS IN 



the fleshy pericarp of the seeds. This done, they pxit the thick yel- 

 lowish substance thus obtained into large earthen vessels, and place 

 them over a fire ; vats are ready to receive it after having been boiled. 

 This is the oil of second quality. The kernels or seeds, separately bruised 

 and pressed, produce a proportion of 30 per cent, of fine palm-oil. The 

 common oil is of a brtttery consistence, of an orange-yellow colour, and 

 has a very strong penetrating smell. They prepare white and yellow 

 marbled soap of it, and in Paris it is used in making candles. 



The soap possesses some peculiar properties ; it lathers in sea-water, 

 for wdiich reason it may be recommended to voyagers. The price is a 

 very low one. In 1832 this production was entirely unknown in France ; 

 at the present day 4,000 casks are yearly imported, but this import might 

 be increased tenfold, since the shores of Western Africa are covered 

 with forests of this palm, and only a small part of these has as yet been 

 explored. 



Besides palm-oil, the Colonies furnish a rich product in the oils of 

 earth-nut, (Arachis nypogcea), Ricinus, Sesame, and cotton seed. But 

 I must not forget to mention here the Aoura-palm of Guiana, (Astro- 

 caryum vulgare), the pulp of the fruit yields an oil, which is used 

 in many different ways. The oil of the Acajou-nut, (Anacardium oeci- 

 dentale) possesses caustic properties, which oxidise iron. The bead- 

 tree oil, coming from Pondicherry, finds its principal use in the fabrica- 

 tion of soap, but the Hindoos take it as a remedy for worms, rheuma- 

 tism, and open wounds. The Bassia butyracea of India bears a fruit 

 with an edible pericarp. Its almonds, when plac«d under the press, 

 yield a sort of fat, called Galam butter, which is employed as medi- 

 cine, likewise for domestic purposes. Another species of the same 

 genus, Bassia gabonensis, contains a true vegetable fat, of which two 

 varieties are known, one, called by the natives " mounga," has the sweet- 

 ness of our goose-fat, the other, named " djave," is only available in 

 the preparation of soap. The tallow-tree is nearly related to these two 

 plants. It produces a fat analogous to animal tallow. Vegetable wax 

 of AJyrica cerifera and Coryplia cerifera closes this section. In direct- 

 ing attention to the balms, gums, resins and varnishes, the tropics 

 claim here the first place. The gum Arabic, the Acajou gum, a sub- 

 stitute for the former, and an excellent varnish for furniture, inasmuch 

 as it contains a large proportion of gallic acid, which prevents injury 

 from insects, are both known and employed by the colonists. The 

 gum of Senegal (Acacia sercegaleiisis), the most valuable of all the pro- 

 ductions of this colony, that of Acacia Lebbek, Styrax benzoin, employed 

 in perfumes, coming from Pondicherry, and the Caoutchouc, Hevea 

 guianerisis, are a few of the numerous productions selected for notice 

 from this rich collection. 



The mineral substances displayed are the first things we meet 

 with on entering another room. There are specimens of lime from 

 Guiana, taken from a large shell-pit, the only one in the country. This 



