115 



Vernac. names. — Eyo or Ayo (Yoruba, Cole) ; Ewedu (Lagos, 

 Dawodu) ; Etinyon (Eifik, Holland) ; Eyo-Ganbi (Oloke-Meji, 

 Dodd) ; Crin-Oin (Sierra Leone, Dudgeon) ; Ingle (Sierra Leone, 

 Scott Elliot) ; Melokych (Arabic, Forskal). — Gemiise Corchorus ; 

 Jews Mallow ; Bristlj leaved Corchorus ; Jute. 



Old Calabar ; Cross River ; Lagos ; Yoruba ; Oloke-Meji. 

 Widely distributed throughout the Tropics, and many warm 

 countries. 



A source of jute, though according to Watt (Com. Prod. Ind. 

 p. 409) it is said to yield a fibre inferior to that of the preceding 

 species and is never cultivated where it is possible to grow 

 C. capsularis. In India it is invariably found on high and 

 dry land, preferring sandy loams, and taking longer to come to 

 maturity. 



A specimen of the fibre of this species from the Onitsha Planta- 

 tion was valued at £14 10s. per ton (with medium jute at £14- 

 £16 per ton). It was described as harsh, of pale buff colour and 

 fair lustre, of poor strength ; and it was suggested that the sample 

 had been retted for too long a period (Bull. Imp. Inst. 1908, 

 p. 126). 



A specimen of native jute described in the Bulletin of the 

 Imperial Institute (1908, p. 127) probably belongs here. It was 

 cultivated by riverside villagers in Borgu Province, N. Nigeria, 

 and was described as nearly white, fairly well cleaned, rather 

 harsh and weak ; about five feet long. The analysis showed the 

 following composition : moisture, 9 per cent. ; ash, 0*3 per cent. ; 

 (a) hydrolysis (loss), 9*8 per cent. ; (b) hydrolysis (loss), 15*1 per 

 cent. ; acid purification (loss), 0'1 per cent. ; and cellulose 76*5 

 per cent. On the whole it was considered of good quality, 

 slightly inferior to a specimen of "extra fine quality" Indian jute, 

 as it contained less cellulose and suffered a greater loss on 

 hydrolysis. 



For further particulars in connection with this plant for the 

 production of fibre, see the preceding species. Burkill and Finlow 

 distinguish between five races of C. olitorius (Agric. Ledger, No. 6, 

 1907, p. 131). 



This species appears to be of importance as a vegetable, and is 

 cultivated in many countries for this purpose. In Old Calabar 

 and other parts of S. Nigeria the leaves are used in soups. It is 

 cultivated for the same purpose in Uganda (Dawe, Herb. Kew), in 

 Sierra Leone as a pot herb (Scott Elliot, Herb. Kew) ; in Liberia 

 eaten as a vegetable (Stapf, in Liberian Flora ii. p. 583;, and in 

 France the plant is cultivated in gardens, the young and tender 

 leaves being used in salads (Vilmorin-Andrieux, Les PI. Potageres, 

 1901, p. 198). In India, in addition to its use as a vegetable, it is 

 used medicinally as a bitter tonic, &c. ; the stalks after the removal 

 of the fibre, are used for making gunpowder charcoal, and in the 

 manufacture of baskets (Diet. Econ. Prod. Ind.). 



Be/.— Diet. Econ. Prod. Ind. ii. 1889, pp. 540-51 L— " Jute from 

 the Gambia," in Kew Bulletin, 1898, pp. 38-40, reprinted in Add. 

 Series II. pp. 32-33.— Comm. Prod. Ind. Watt, 1908, p. 407.— See 

 also many of the references to C. capsularis. 



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