Reports by the juries. Class IV. Animal and vegetable substances chiefly used in manufactures, as implements, or for ornaments / Richard Owen, Edward Solly, reporters.

  • Owen, Richard, Sir, 1804-1892.
Date:
[1851]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Reports by the juries. Class IV. Animal and vegetable substances chiefly used in manufactures, as implements, or for ornaments / Richard Owen, Edward Solly, reporters. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

    37/198 (page 197)
    A valuable series of eighteen samples of Ceylon oils is contributed by T. A. PlERis, of Kandy, the names of these are— 1. Castor. 2. Rape seed. 3. Gingelly. 4. Branjematry. 5. Siddharte. 6. Kolestesma. 7. Kekuna. 8. Makula. 9. Kadjic. 10. Kellooraje. 11. Rattee. 12. Dorene. 13. Koola. 14. Balegorande. 15. Naarawyeue. 16. Mahakoomare. 17. Dummele. 18. Chaudenade. The oils Nos. 5 and 7 are nearly colourless. The value of this collection would have been considerably increased had the specimens been accompanied by any practical information. The Jury awarded a Prize Medal for these oils, together with the series of gums and resins shown by the same exhibitor. Some fine specimens of Myrtle or berry wax, from the Cape of Good Hope, are exhibited by J. Lindenberg, of Worcester district (45). This is an excellerrt material for the manufacture of candles, when employed in conjurrctiorr with other solid fats. The Jury awarded a Prize Medal for these specimens. Froirr Western Africa an irrteresting collection of oils and oil seeds is contri- buted by Warwick Weston (1), consisting of shea butter, or galarn butter, ob- tained from the fi-uit of the Micaderria, or Bassia Parkii, a tree closely resembling the Bassia latifolia, and other species indigeirous to Plindostarr. Accordirrg to Park, the tree is abundant in Barnbara ; the oil is solid, of a greyish white colour, and fuses at 97°. Specimens are also shown of Beynie seed and Grourrd- nut {Aracliis hyiwgcea), arrd of the oil expressed from them ; and likewise of palm oil, and palm kernel oil, the former excellent. The Jury awarded a Prize Medal for these specimens. A specimen of the shea butter is also exhibited by Dr. Me William, from Egga, on the Biver Niger (oa), which was deemed worthy of Honourable Mention. A good specimen of Myrtle or candle berry wax, accompanied by candles made from it in the crude unbleached state, and a dried branch of the plant itself, bear- ing leaves and fruit from New Brunswick, are exhibited by J. Chalmers ; these were deemed worthy of Honourable Mention. Good samples of cocoa-nut ofi. are contributed by the Royal Society of Natural History of the Mauritius (4), and by M. Mellon, likewise from the Mauritius (6). Specimens of laurel oil, from the River Poomeroon, Essequibo, and crab or carapa oil, from the Essequibo river, in British Guiana, are exhibited by J. S. Stutchbury (52, 63). The latter is a sort of vegetable butter, being sometimes solid and sometimes half fluid, which is obtained from the seed of the carapa or y andiroba. Carapa Guianensis, or Xylocarpus Carapa, a large tree, abundant in the forests of Guiana and Acagie. It is said to turn rancid very soon when exposed to the air, but this is probably caused by the presence of impurities arising from the crude and imperfect mode in which it is prepared by the natives, who boil the kernels, leave them in a heap for a few days, then skin them, and lastly reduce them into a paste in a wooden mortar, which is then spread on an inclined board, and exposed to the heat of the sun, so that the oil may melt and gradually trickle down into a vessel placed below to receive it. The Jury awarded a Prize Medal for this specimen. Another sample of crab or carapa oil is also shown in the collection of Trinidad