393 
extracted by drying the seeds and parching them over a fire. 
They are then pounded in a mortar; water is added and the 
whole boiled over a fire, and the fat or oil is skimmed off as it 
rises 
» » * * 
I have, &c., 
(Signed) F. E. WILLEY, 
Curator. 
W. T. Thiselton-Dyer, Esq., C.M.G., 
Director, Royal Gaiden quw 
CURATOR, BOTANIC STATION, SIERRA LEONE, TO ROYAL 
GARDENS, KEW 
Botanic Station, Sierra Leone, 
May 19th, 1896. 
SIR, 
I HAVE the honour to forward by the s.s. *Ilaro," two b 
containing seeds of Pentadesma butyracea, the butter or tallow 
tree of Sierra Leo 
One bag contains 57 Ibs. of dried seed, and the other 115 T of 
fresh seed. Would you kindly have them experimented u 
pen their value as a source cf oil, as sugg gested in your letter 
o the Colonial Office, dated January 13th, 1896 ? 
I don’t think it is necessary for me to add more, as I explained 
about ex tree and how the natives use it, &c., in my letter to Kew 
last month. 
The pe" are sent to Kew because it is thought that they would 
receive more attention tag the firm in Liverpool, than if the seed 
was sent direct from her 
I have, &c., 
F. E. WILLEY, 
Curator. 
W. T. Thiselton-Dyer, Esq., C.M.G., 
Director, Royal Sadana Rew. 
ROYAL GARDENS, KEW, TO Palace at ora bal 
Royal G 
s, Kew 
10th Doceniberr 1896. 
SIR, 
WITH reference to my letter of the 13th January last, I have 
the honour to inform you that a consignment of the seed of Penta- 
desma butyracea, the butter and tallow tree of Sierra Leone, was 
received from the Government of that colony in June last. 
his seed was at once forwarded for investigation to Messrs. 
Samuelson & Sons, Ltd., of Liverpool, and the result is con- 
tained in the enclosures herewit 
. The price of seed oils in this country at the present time is 
rather low and hence the estimated value of the tallow seeds 
stated by Messrs. Samuelson p ae (to use their own words) “is 
hardly a fair one upon which to base calculations as to the real 
commercial value of the seeds.’ 
