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



§9 



Cdass 4. 



No. 37. Soapnut oil. (Sapindus emarginaius.) 



This oil is extracted from the kernels of the seed, and is used 

 medicinally. 



No. 88. Cashew nut oil. (Amcardium occidentals) 



The nuts of this tree yield by expression a very sweet tasted 

 edible oil, much superior to European Olive oil, but not so cheap as 

 the Ground nut oil. The nuts however being generally roasted 

 and eaten, the oil is seldom expressed. 



No. 39. Ben nut oil. {Moringa pterygosperma.) 



This oil has long been considered valuable on account of the long 

 period which it may be kept without contracting rancidity. This, 

 quality, as well as the very low temperature required to freeze it, 

 renders it exceedingly useful to the watch maker and perfumer. 



The tree grows in all parts of the country, and flowers at all 

 seasons, the blossoms, green and ripe fruit being often seen on the 

 same tree at the same time. The young leaves and green legumes 

 are eaten both by Natives and Europeans, and the rasped roat forms 

 an excellent substitute for horse-radish, to which circumstance it 

 owes its common name of " horse-radish tree." The oil is seldom 

 manufactured in India. 



No. 40. Cotton seed oil. (Gossypium species.) 



The seeds of the various varieties of Gossypium contain a large 

 proportion of oil, but the remains of the fibre adhere with such 

 tenacity to the seed of almost all the varieties at present generally 

 cultivated in India, that it is found to absorb the whole of the oil 

 expressed, from which it cannot be separated without much difficulty. 

 The oil is consequently never made in India, although the seed is a 

 nourishing food for cattle. Should however, any of the varieties of 

 Cotton with loose seeds, such as the G. acuminatum come into ge- 

 neral cultivation, the oil would then become of much importance. 



At present this oil is manufactured at Marseilles from seed im- 

 ported from Africa, and could some cheap and easy method of 

 ridding the ordinary cotton seed from the adherent fibre be de- 



