oct.— -dec. 1857.] Oils of Southern India. 



21 



by pressure a milky fluid which, on being boiled until all the water 

 has evaporated, produces a clear edible oil. Only just sufficient water 

 to moisten the pulp should be added, as a larger proportion pro- 

 longs the operation and deteriorates the product. When fresh 

 prepared, this oil is comparatively free from smell, but it speedily 

 acquires an unpleasant odour; many attempts have been made to 

 divest the oil of this smell, which renders it inapplicable for the 

 perfumers' use, but only with partial success. 



The prices of this oil vary most considerably in different parts of 

 the country. For the quarter ending 31st October 1854, the max- 

 imum and minimum prices at nineteen large stations in all parts 

 of the Presidency were Rs. 8-5-4 at Jubbulpore, and Rs. 2-14-0 

 at Bangalore, per maund. The average of twenty-one large stations 

 in the Madras Presidency gives Rs. 4-9-5 per maund or about £41-2 

 per ton. The market value of " Cochin oil" in London in January 

 1855 was £46-10 per ton, the average being from £46 to £48. 



It is used very largely in England in the manufacture of candles 

 and soap. For the candle maker the stearine is separated from the 

 olein,the former product being used for candles, for which it is most 

 applicable on account of the high temperature required to fuse it. 

 The olein is then made over to the soap boiler for conversion into 

 soap. Soap made from Cocoanut oil is lighter than water, and con- 

 sequently floats in that medium, whilst from its being the only soap 

 which will dissolve freely in salt water it is usually called " Marine 

 soap." 



In India this oil is made into soap by boiling with a proper pro- 

 portion of dhobies' earth, salt, saltpetre, quicklime, and water. It* # 

 is also burnt in lamps by the higher classes, used for anointing the 

 body, and in cookery. 



The best oil is exported from Cochin and the neighbouring ports 

 on the Malabar coast. It usually fetches 20s. £er ton more than the 

 Ceylon or Coromandel coast article. The average annual quantity 

 exported from this Presidency from 1850-1 to 1854-5 is about 

 14,10,963 gallons. Of this by far the largest portion is sent to the 

 United Kingdom and France, the remainder finding its way to Ara- 

 bia, Mauritius, Bombay and the French (Indian) Ports. 



