Oils and Fats, 



400 



[November, 1909. 



very large quanitities at a low cost. 

 The " mace" furnished a dark orange- 

 red oil, which can only be decolorised 

 by means of alkali, involving the re- 

 moval of the large amount of free acids 

 present, and it therefore seems unliKely 

 that the mace could be used commer- 

 cially as a source of oil. 



RlCINODENDRON HEUDELOTII SEEDS.— 



These seeds from Southern Nigeria were 

 found to furnish a rapidly drying oil. A 

 consignment was submitted to a firm of 

 varnish makers, who made careful 

 technical trials with the oi!, and arrived 

 at the conclusion that its propeities are 

 intermediate between those of Tung oil 

 and linseed oil, and that it would be 

 suitable as a substitute for the former. 

 It appears somewhat doubtful, how- 

 ever, whether the collection and expor- 

 tation of the seeds would prove remuner- 

 ative. 



Among other products examined, may 

 be mentioned Shea butter-nuts from 

 Sudan, seeds of Croton macrostachys 

 from Uganda, sesame seed from Rhodesia, 

 seeds and fat of Pentadesma butyracea 

 from Sierra Leone, "Ikpan" seeds and 

 the berries and oil of a Sapindaceous 

 plant from Southern Nigeria, groudnut 

 oil from Northern Nigeria, Amoora Rohi- 

 tuka oil from India, vegetable waxes 

 fiorn South Africa and Mexico, and 

 " M'Fucuta" seeds from Portuguese 

 East Africa. 



Summaries of reports of the investiga- 

 tions of various African oils and oil- 

 seeds have been published in the "Bul- 

 letin of the Imperial Institute,'" 1908, 

 VI., 243, 353. 



The following investigations were in 

 progress at the end of the year : — The 

 examination of twenty samples of palm 

 fruits and oil of different varieties from 

 the Gold Coast; specimens of "ben "oil 

 seeds from Northern Nigeria; and seeds 

 Of Pentaclethra macrophylla from 

 Sierra Leone and Southern Nigeria. A 

 study was also being made of the pro- 

 duction of stearin from Indian cotton- 

 seed oil, and, in connection therewith, a 

 comparative examination of Indian 

 " ghi" from buffaloes' and cows' milk 

 was being carried out. 



Volatile Oils. 

 Countries of Origin.— Cyprus, Ugan- 

 da, Gold Coast, Seychelles, Ceylon, India, 

 Fiji, Bermuda. 



No. of volatile oils received in 1908 ... 59 



of volatile oils reported on in 1908 ... 10 

 The volatile oils received during the 

 year consisted mainly of "grass oils," 

 such as " lemon grass" and " citronella," 

 turpentine oils, origanum and majoram 

 oils, 



Lemongrass Oils.— These were receiv- 

 ed from Uganda, Ceylon, Fiji, and Ber- 

 muda. Both the Bermuda and Uganda 

 oils were somewhat low in citral, the 

 principal odoriferous constituent of 

 lemongrass oil, and were, consequently, 

 of small value. Unfortunately, the 

 market for lemongrass oil was for the 

 greater part of the year so overstocked 

 that this oil was practically unsaleable. 



Citronella Oils.— A sample of this 

 was received from the Gold Coast. It 

 was of rather abnormal character, and 

 information as to its botanical origin is 

 being sought. 



A very complete series of " grass oils " 

 has been received from Ceylon and is at 

 present under investigation. 



Oils from Origanum sp.— These were 

 received from Cyprus. They included 

 two samples of origanum oil, portions 

 of consignments offered for sale in 

 London by the Government of Cyprus. 

 The samples were cf the usual good 

 quality, and contained about 80 per cent, 

 of carvacrol. It has been ascertained 

 that better prices might be obtained for 

 this origanum oil in commerce if it were 

 rectified so as to remain colourless when 

 kept, A process of rectification was 

 devised during the year, and this will 

 be tried on a large scale in Cyprus in the 

 coming season, and tor this purpose a 

 modern rectifying still is being specially 

 constructed in London. 



The preparation of pure carvacrol, on 

 a commercial scale, from this oil has also 

 been suggested to the Government of 

 Cyprus, and a small trial consignment 

 of this carvacrol has been sold recently 

 to a London firm. Cyprus marjoram oil 

 is being completely investigated with a 

 view to ascertaining whether it is iden- 

 tical with the sweet marjoram oil of 

 commerce. The exact botanical origin 

 of each of these oils has not yet been 

 settled, and this point is being investi- 

 gated at the Royal Gardens, Kew. 



Turpentine Oils.— These were re- 

 ceived from India. A full investigation 

 is being made of these oils in comparison 

 with American, French, and Russian 

 turpentine oils. 



Various Oils.— These included laurel 

 oil from Cyprus, which proved to be of 

 excellent quality, and bay oils from 

 Fiji, which are still under investigation. 

 Among products yielding aromatic oils 

 on distillation, were clove leaves from 

 Seychelles, which furnished 4'5 per cent, 

 by weight of the clove-leaf oil referred 

 to in the Report on the work of the 

 Imperial Institute in 1906 and 1907 (p.61), 

 and Chlorocodon roots from Uganda, 

 from which a new aromatic isomeride of 

 vanillin was isolated. 



