Tht RURAL NEW-YORKER 
1537 
New Plant Immigrants 
Bulletin 156 of the Office of Foreign 
Seed and Plant Introduction lists seeds 
of the African oil palm, received from 
Java. 
“The value, extent and importance of 
the palm and palm-kernel oil industry of 
West Africa is but faintly realized by 
persons other than those directly inter¬ 
ested in the trade. The amount of oil 
annually exported from British West 
Africa alone in 1915 was about 110.000 
tons, and of kernels. 220,000 tons. The 
average price in Liverpool for kernels 
during the months preceding the war was 
about. $100 per ton. and for palm oil $145 
per ton. The palm tree from which the 
fruits are obtained is indigenous to the 
western coast of tropical Africa, and 
grows in enormous quantities from 300 
to 400 miles into the interior. The trees 
are 30 feet or more in height, and begin 
to bear in the third or fourth year. The 
soft, fibrous outer covering of the fruit 
contains the thick, orange-red palm oil, 
and the inner hard part or palm nut con¬ 
tains the palm kernel, a hard, white 
nutty body, which yields about 50 per 
cent of palm-kernel oil. This palm-kernel 
oil is used in making oleomargarine, cook¬ 
ing oils, and also fine toilet soaps, while 
the palm oil is used in the manufacture 
of cheaper soaps, candles, lubricating oils, 
etc. Although there are now on the mar¬ 
ket several machines which, it is claimed, 
are capable of dealing with the fruits in 
large quantities, they have met with very 
little practical success.” 
Among new varieties of corn referred 
to in the above bulletin is one from Zam¬ 
boanga, Philippine Island : 
_ “A corn variety discovered on a recent 
visit to Kudurangan, Cotabato, Minda¬ 
nao, that matures 72 days from sowing, 
and so may be of value to your corn 
breeders. This corn has been grown for 
many years (no one knows how many) 
by one of the wild tribes in Cotabato.” 
_ An introduction from Mexico is a spe¬ 
cies of sage (Salvia hispanica) known as 
chia. 
“Chia is widely used in Mexico for the 
preparation of ‘refresco,’ or as an addi¬ 
tion to ‘refrescos’ prepared with limes or 
other fruits. I have never observed the 
plant in cultivation. The seed, which is 
often seen on sale in the markets, is 
similar in appearance to mustard seed, 
except in its grayish color. When 
soaked in water it behaves somewhat as 
tapioca, each seed becoming surrounded 
by a transparent gelatinous substance 
almost without taste. A glass of sweet¬ 
ened water to which has been added a 
few chia seeds is considered a good drink; 
it lacks character, however, and may be 
considered much better when lime juice is 
one of the ingredients. This drink is a 
peculiar thing, difficult of description, but 
not unworthy of introduction into other 
countries. It may be mentioned that the 
State of Chiapas takes its name from 
‘chia,’ meaning ‘place where the chia 
abounds.’ ” 
An interesting tree is the agbayun, 
Synsepalum dulcificum, from Southern 
Nigeria : 
“This tropical African tree flowers in 
the months of June, July and August, 
and usually produces a number of oblong 
or oval berries which resemble olives; 
they are dull green at first, but gradually 
change, as they ripen, into a dusky red. 
The seeds are enclosed in a thin, soft, 
slightly saccharine pulp which, when 
eaten, has the peculiar property of mak¬ 
ing the most sour and acidulous sub¬ 
stances seem intensely sweet. _ so that 
citric or tartaric..acids, lime juice, viue- 
gar, and all sour immature fruits eaten 
thereafter taste as if they were composed 
wholly of saccharine matter. The dura¬ 
tion of this effect depends upon the 
amount of berries eaten, and the degree 
of maturity they have attained : when a 
sufficient quantity has been taken their 
influence is commonly perceptible through¬ 
out the day. This peculiar principle, how¬ 
ever. is soon dissipated if the fruits are 
allowed to remain in a ripe condition for 
any length of time: preserved fruits 
brought to England not only lost this 
property, but became extremely insipid. 
The natives of the Gold Coast often use j 
them to render their stale and acidulated i 
kankies (maize bread) more palatable.” 
One of the African arrow poisons of I 
peculiarly deadly quality is produced 
from the plant known to botanists as 
Strophanthus hispidus, a member of the 
dogbane or Indian hemp family. Bulletin 
157 refers to this as follows: 
“The seeds are an important drug, 
worth about 2s. to 2s. 6d. (approximately 
50 to 60 cents) per pound wholesale, com¬ 
monly shipped in the pods, but more often 
taken out, freed from the awns and packed 
in bales. The seeds are poisonous, the 
active principle being strophanthin : used 
in Nigeria and generally iu tropical Afri¬ 
ca for arrow poison. It may be propa¬ 
gated by seed, but the commercial supply 
is obtained, so far, from wild plants— 
strong fibers making the seed difficult to 
collect,' though, according to Dalziel. as a 
shrub with long lax branches it is capable 
of being grown in tin 1 neighborhood of 
towns and villages. The seed pods are 
available in October at Abepa, Kabba 
Province, where the plant is said to be 
plentiful. The seeds take several mouths 
to ripen.” 
This drug is valuable, like digitalis, in 
some forms of heart disease, but is so 
extremely active that it is used with 
great caution. It is described as a muscle 
poison, acting vigorously on the muscles 
of the heart, as well as other muscles, and 
appears extremely deadly as an arrow 
poison. 
How your tea-kettle illustrates 
an exclusive Mueller feature 
Y OU know how steam fairly shoots out of the spout of your 
tea-kettle when the water is boiling and the cover is on. 
Travels fast in a narrow path and is scorching hot. But when you 
raise the cover, the steam rises slower through the larger opening and heats a 
greater volume of air although not so intensely. 
The heat coming ’out of a pipeless furnace with a small register face may be 
compared to the steam rushing out of the tea-kettle spout. It is inefficient 
heat. Wasteful, .doesn’t heat the house comfortably, causes cold drafts across 
the floor. 
The large register face of the Mueller Pipeless Furnace delivers heat on the other 
principle—a large volume of warm, moist, healthful air rising slowly, the safest, 
most economical and efficient method. 
A 
Mueller heating engineers have worked out the de¬ 
sign of this pipeless furnace in a scientific way from 
start to finish. It is built so well that users in 
every part of the country are glad to recommend 
it. Thousands have been installed. It is guar¬ 
anteed to heat every room in the house com¬ 
fortably. Eight sizes—there’s one the right 
size for your home. 
Easily and Inexpensively Installed 
a. \\\ No floors or walls to tear up for pipes— 
your dealer can quickly install it with- 
jjsk, out any inconvenience to you. It can 
^ be put in any home—whether you 
have a large cellar j a small one, or no cellar 
all. 
Bums hard or soft coal, coke, wood, lignite, gas 
or oil. Saves from V3 to % on fuel. No heat 
wasted in the cellar. 
Send For the Mueller Book 
“The Modem Method of Heating Your Home” tells the 
whole story of this remarkable furnace—the reasons 
for its great efficiency, economy and reliability. Send 
for the Mueller book today. 
L. J. Mueller Furnace Co. ^ 
Makers of Heating 5yitems of all Kind* Since 1857 
227 Reed St., Milwaukee, Wit. 
New York Distributors: 
W. A. Case & Son Mfg. Co., Brooklyn, N. Y. 
W. A. Case & Son Mfg. Co., Syracuse, N. Y. 
21 other distributing points. Immediate 
shipment to any part of the country. 
"Direct to Farmer 
\at Wire Mill Prices, 
CATALOG FREE 
JOTSELMAN BROS. DEPT.230 MUNCIE, INDIANA 
American Fence 
Full gaugewires; full weight; full length 
rolls. Superior qualitygalvanizing,proof 
against hardest weather conditions. 
FREE 
HANDY 
WIRE 
SPLICER 
A great Farm Tool—I send it FREE 
—postpaid with my latest catalog: showing 
an-l be8t ] 1I A° °f Fencing. Gates, Steel 
Posts, i>arb \V iro and Rootio? ever shown in on« 
book. OVER 160 STYLES. Z3cperrodantfup? 0 
Prices Low-Quality High 
Increased production permits lower prices 
than all others. Save money. Buy Brown’s 
Double Galvanized Rust Resisting Fence. 
— Guaranteed Satisfaction. Freight 
Paid. Write quick for FREE ■■ 
Splicer and Catalog. 
BROWN FENCE & 
WIRE CO. m 
Dept. 259 Cleveland, Ohio 
Special 
prices 
Direct From Factory 
Save money at present prices. 
r You can’t beat our quality as 
[ proved by many thousand engines working 
in all sections of the country.on all kinds of jobs 
OTTAWA engines 
r „• Kerosene, Gasoline, Distillate. Gas. 
Sizes 2.S.4.5, 6 . 7, 8 . 10 , 12 , 16 tnd 22 H-P. 
Stationary. Portable, and Sawrig styles. Use 
1 cheapest fuel. Easy to start; easy to operate. 
Durable. Reliable. 90-days trial. 10-year 
Guarantee. 
Rnnk FrPP Gives low prices 
UUUIV rice and makes aU en¬ 
gines easy to understand. 
OTTAWA MFG. CO. 
696 King 8t, Ottawa, Kans. 
Special Book Sent Free. Oealers Everywhere. 
AMERICAN STEEL AND WIRE CO. 
CHICAGO NEW YORK 
DIRECT FROM FACTORY old reliable STA R 
SWEEP GRINDER and save dealers’profit. Fully 
guaranteed. TERRI MEG. CO., 6 left St., Sew Islington. Ohio 
of "Qu£t£a£ Gates 
Just send me your name and address. I will 
mail you my big new Gate Book free—postpaid. '. 
Quotes prices ower than it costs you to build homemade all 
wood grates. Can't-Satf Gatos arc thoonly farm Kates thatoru 
GOOD Enough to Use ANYWHERE 
CHEAP Enough to llse EVERYWHERE 
Always hang straight and true. 
Never sajr, dray: or warp or twist out of 
shape. No nails used. No wood joints. Every 
board double bolted between eijrht angle steel up¬ 
rights. Self-locking hinges—won't injure stock—easily 
repaired— outlast severul all wood, steel, wire or gras pipe Kates. 
L-ost less than any other Kates you can build or buy. Nearly a 
million now in use. Write for freo Catalog today. 
(1) ALVIN V. ROWE, President 
HOWE MFG. C0„ 1901 Adams St., 
"NmH» 
DO DITCHING THIS FALL 
Prevent winter rains smothering the soil. Put 
land iu s..ape for early spring work. Get your 
ditching and terracing done now with 
and Grader 
Works in any soil. Makes **V’’-shaped ditch 
or olcanj ditches down 4 ft. doep. All steel. 
Reversible. Adjustable. Write for Free Book. 
OWENSBORO DITCHER 0 GRADER C0„lac. 
Dei 334, Owcosbars, Kj. 
9 CORDS IN 10 HOURS 
8AW8 
Dinvx 
TREES 
RUXS EASY 
So 
Backache it 
welphs 
Only 45 
lbs. 
S3 
as 
- « 
-J 
BY 0YE MAX. It’s KING OF TIIK WOODS. Saves money and 
backache. Send tor KKKK catalog No. B 68 showing low price 
and latest improvements. First order gets agency. 
folding Sawing Machine Co., 161 West Harrison St„ Chicago, ill 
