414 



SESAME SEED. 



of any in the Marseilles market. The exports from Jaffa in 1862 

 were 2320 tons. From Syria there were shipped, in 1871, sesame 

 seeds of the value of 23,6 lOZ., and from Gallipoli, in the same year, 

 945 quarters, valued at 4080Z. From Lagos, West Africa, there are 

 now large shipments. The trade in the article only commenced with 

 an export of 2^ tons in 1864, but in 1870 had reached 729 tons. The 

 seed is there called Benni seed. The chief place for the manufacture 

 of sesame oil is Marseilles, and the importance of the trade in it 

 may be judged from the receipts at that port, in metrical quintals : 





Year. 



From the Levant. 



From India and 

 Africa. 



Total. 







1855 

 1865 

 1875 



159,703 

 60,260 

 125,950 



190,512 

 259,510 

 297,670 



350,215 

 319,770 

 423,620 





The oilcake made from it in 1875 was 440,000 cwts., the price 

 ranging from 11 to 16 francs the cwt. The quantities furnished by 

 India alone in the last six years were, in metrical quintals of 2 cwts. : 





Year. 



From Coromandel 

 Coast. 



From Bombay and 

 Sind. 



From Calcutta. 







1870 

 1871 

 1872 

 1873 

 1874 

 1875 



368,000 

 258,000 

 224,200 

 227,100 

 276,720 

 364,500 



29,100 

 30 

 1,800 

 14,800 

 130,900 

 312,600 



183,100 

 79,000 

 4,000 

 7,800 

 56,200 

 50,300 





The following were the ranges of price in 1875 at Marseilles : for 

 Jaffa, 43 to 53 francs, brown ; Coromandel, 35 to 40 francs, white ; 

 Kurrachee, 37^ to 43 francs ; Bangkok, 35 to 43 francs ; and Mozam- 

 bique, 38J to 41i francs. The export of sesame oil in 1875 from 

 Marseilles was 2,500,000 kilogrammes, or nearly half of all the seed 

 oil shipped. The price ranged during the year from 67 to 80 francs 

 for the 100 kilogrammes. The oil first expressed from the seeds is 

 available for table use, and may be used for all the purposes of olive 

 oil. As its congealing point is some degrees below that of olive oil, 

 it is even more fitted for cool climates. The soot of the oil is used for 

 making Indian ink. This oil is probably consumed to a greater extent 

 than any other by the natives of India, and is second only to cocoanut 

 oil in importance as an article of commerce. The residue, or cake, is 

 eaten by the poorer classes of India as an article of food, and it is 

 greedily devoured by cattle. 



In Eastern Africa the sesame grows everywhere on the coast, and 

 extends far into the interior, and is known as simsim. The seed is 

 pounded dry in a large mortar ; when the oil begins to appear, a little 

 hot water is poured in, and the mass is forcibly squeezed by huge 

 pestles ; all that floats is then ladled out into pots and gourds, and 

 used for cooking. 



