20  Vegetable  Tallow  from  Singapore.        { Amjan"ri884harm' 
118°  F.,  but  remains  transparent  and  liquid  at  112°  F.  It  is  soluble 
in  about  an  equal  weight  of  cold  ether;  it  is  sparingly  soluble  in  cold 
acetic  ether  and  acetone,  but  very  soluble  in  these  liquids  when  heated, 
the  greater  part  being  precipitated  on  cooling;  it  dissolves  in  half 
its  weight  of  cold  chloroform,  but  mixes  with  one  third  of  its  weight 
of  the  same  liquid  when  heated.  In  bisulphide  of  carbon,  either 
cold  or  hot,  it  is  extremely  soluble.  In  cold  benzol  it  is  soluble 
to  the  extent  of  about  1  in  4.  In  hot  benzol  and  petroleum  spirit 
(hexane  or  heptane)  it  dissolves  in  all  proportions,  but  the  solution 
gelatinizes  on  cooling.  It  is  very  soluble  in  cold  turpentine  and  dis- 
solves in  it  when  heated  in  all  proportions.  In  alcohol  it  is  soluble  to 
the  extent  of  about  1  in  30  when  cold  or  1  in  20  when  hot,  and  in 
isopropyl  alcohol  it  dissolves  to  the  extent  of  about  1  part  in  25  when 
cold,  and  1  part  in  4  when  hot."  Mr.  Fielding  thinks  it  may  be  com- 
pared in  many  respect  with  the  fat  of  Pentadesma,  butyracca  (Clusiacece), 
which  should,  however,  judging  from  its  natural  oder,  be  more  nearly 
allied  to  kokum  butter  (Garcinia  purpurea?) 
According  to  a  cutting  from  the  Java  Bode  newspaper,  sent  to  me 
by  Mr.  Jamie,  the  vegetable  tallow,  known  as  Minyak  Tangkawang,  or 
Minyak  Sangkawang,  is  obtained  from  the  seeds  of  one  or  more  trees 
of  the  genus  Hopea,  found  in  the  S.  and  E.  division  of  Borneo,  chiefly 
in  the  neighborhood  of  Qualla  Kapuas,  and  on  the  west  coast  in  the 
districts  of  Sambas  and  Mampawa.  The  Dyaks  call  the  fat  Kakawang 
and  the  tree  which  yields  it  Upu  Kakawang.  This  tree  is  one  of  the 
giants  of  the  forest.  Several  species  of  the  genus  appear  to  be  used. 
Of  these  Hopea  splendida,  the  Tongkawang  Tonggul,  is  also  called  by 
the  natives  Dammar  Tangkawang  (because  the  bark  yields  a  dammar.) 
The  timber  is  used  by  the  Dyaks  for  making  their  prahus,  as  it  is 
proof  against  the  influence  of  water.  The  bark  also  yields  a  red  dye. 
This  tree  grows  on  alluvial  fat  clayey  ground  on  the  banks  of  great 
rivers.  Hopea  aspera  grows  on  the  higher  mountain  tracts,  princi- 
pally on  the  declivities  of  Mampawa,  and  is  distinguished  by  the 
hairiness  of  the  stems. 
The  preparation  of  the  fat  is  very  simple.  When  the  ripe  fruit  falls 
on  the  ground,  it  is  collected  and  allowed  to  germinate  a  little  in  a 
moist  place.  It  is  then  dried  in  the  sun  until  it  becomes  brittle.  The 
fruit  is  then  deprived  of  its  shell  and  put  into  a  rattan  or  bamboo 
basket  suspended  over  boiling  water.  When  it  has  been  well  steamed, 
the  fruit  becomes  soft  and  plastic  like  dough.    The  fat  is  then  expressed 
