2 



Oils of Southern India, [no. 5, new series, 



SECTION. I. 



• Oil considered as an article oe export trade. 



Although the number of oil producing plants in Southern India, 

 is very large, yet upon examination it will be observed, that of 

 these but few are cultivated to any great extent; the larger propor- 

 tion consisting of trees, shrubs, &c. growing in a wild state, the 

 fruits of which are gathered by the poorer classes, and the oils ex- 

 *pressed as necessity requires. These latter (with some exceptions) 

 do not form articles of trade, nor are they usually procurable in the 

 native bazaars. 



Of animal oils, that extracted from the liver and other parts of 

 various species offish, chiefly on the Malabar Coast, now forms a 

 source of considerable trade ; whilst Petroleum is largely exported 

 from our Burmese possessions to the manufacturing towns of Li- 

 verpool and Glasgow. 



In taking a general view of these substances it seems advanta- 

 geous to consider them under the following classes. 



1st Class. — Those plants which are cultivated for the sake of their 

 products. — Of these, the oil and cake form in some cases the only 

 valuable part, whilst in others, as the Poppy, the plant serves many 

 other purposes. This class includes the bulk of the oils export- 

 ed from, and consumed in India, and comprises the following — 

 Cocoanut, Gingely and its varieties, Lamp and Castor,* Groundnut, 

 Linseed, Ramtill, Mustard erroneously called Rape, and Poppy; 

 the essential oils of Cinnamon (from the bark and leaf,) and Cassia, 

 Gloves and Sandalwood. f Fish oil and Petroleum being also valu- 

 able commercial products will be considered in this Section. 



First in importance is Cocoanut oil which is yearly exported to 

 a large extent from Malabar and the Western Coast, and in smaller 



* Note.— Throughout this report the word " Lamp oil" will he used to denote 

 the oil obtained from the large seeded variety of the Ricinus communis used al- 

 most exclusively for burning in lamps, whilst the term " Castor oil" will be un- 

 derstood to refer to the medicinal product extracted from the Ricinus communis 

 fructibus minoribus. 



t For the Botanical names of these plants, see Section 3. 



