Ricinus communis, Castor-oil or lamp oil ; large-seeded variety — Chiragh-ka-tel, HIND. ; Vullak ennai, TAM. ; Ped-amidam, TEL. The oil which is obtained from the large-seeded variety of the Ricinus com munis is sometimes drawn cold ; it is then of a straw - colour, scarcely distinguishable in quality from the oil of the small-seeded variety. It is, however, more usually extracted by heat, and forms the common lamp-oil of the bazar of S. India. The seeds having been partially roasted over a charcoal fire, both to coagulate the albumen and to liquefy the oil, are then pounded and boiled in water until the oil rises to the surface. The roasting process, however, gives it a deeper red oolour and an empyreumatic odour.
Sahoeottay oil, from Canara, is used for cutaneous diseases.
Santalum album, Sandal-seed oil—Chundana pusjhum yennai, TAM. The seeds of the sandal-wood tree yield by expression a thick and viscid oil, which is burnt by the poorer classes in lamps. Sandal-wood oil, Chundana yennai, TAM., is made in Salem, Mysore, and Canara, from sandal-wood.
Sapindus emarginatus, Soap-nut oil—Reethay ka tel, HIND. ; Poovandi cottay, TAar. ; Poongum-kai yen nai, TAM. ; Koocoodi noona, TEL. This semi-solid oil is used medicinally, and is extracted from tho kernel of the soap-nut. Its cost prevents its gene ral use.
Sarcostigma Kleinii, Poovana or Poovengah oil, made in Tinnevelly, Travancore, and Cotts.yam, has been long known'as medicinal oil ; used largely for rheu matism on the western coast. It seems especially to merit further investigation.
Semecarpus anacardiutn,! Marking-nut oil—Bhilawan ka tel, HIND. ; Shayng cottay ycnnai, TAM. ; Ncl lajidi noona, TEL. The acrid and vesicating oil which is contained between the two laminae of the pericarp of the marking-nut is used as a preventive against the attacks of white ants, and by native practitioners in rheumatic and leprous affections. By boiling the whole nut not divested of its peri carp, an oil is also obtained which acts as a blister. The preparation or collection either of the oil or acrid juice is liable to cause much irritation and inflammation of the hands, face, etc., of those engaged in the work.
Sesamum orientale, Gingelly oil or Sesamnm oil (black seeded variety)—Meetha Til ka tel, HIND. ; Noel ennai, TAIL ; Mundie noona, TEL. This oil is perhaps consumed to a greater extent than any other by the natives of India, and is, moreover, second only to cocoanut oil in its importance as an article of commerce. Two varieties of sesamum
are cultivated for the sake of the oil : The 1st sort of gingelly seed is the produce of the plant which is sown in the month of March, after the rice crop, and is irrigated twice, once at sowing, and once afterwards: The seed, which is black, and is called 1st sort gingelly, from the fact of its yielding the largest percentage of oil, ripens in May, and in Raja mundry sells at the rate of Rs. 60 per candy of 500 lbs. The oil obtained from both varieties sells there at the same price, viz. Rs. 2.14.6 to Rs. 3 per maund of 25 lbs., according to quality.
The 2d sort of gingelly is sown in June, and produces a red seed. The plant, although a little larger, resembles in most respects the former; it has, how ever, a somewhat longer leaf, and the flower differs a shade or two in colour. A candy of 500 lbs. of this seed sells at Rs. 57.8. The price of the oil is the same as that of 1st sort gingelly. This seed about A.D. 1850 began to be largely exported to France, in consequence of which the price doubled. lit sort gingelly oil. The great disparity of colour observed in the samples of this oil is merely to be attributed to the mode of preparation. The method sometimes adopted is that of throwing the fresh seeds, without any cleansing process, into the common mill, and expressing in the usual way. The oil thus becomes mixed with a large portion of the colouring matter of the epidermis of the seed, and is neither so pleasant to the eye, nor so agree able to the taste, as that obtained by first repeatedly washing the seeds in cold water, or by boiling them for a short time, until the whole of the reddish brown colouring matter is removed, and the seeds have become perfectly white. They are then dried in the sun, and the oil expressed as usual. This process yields 40 to 44 per cent. of a very pale straw coloured, sweet-smelling oil, an excellent substitute for olive oil, for which indeed it is largely sold. In India it is chiefly used in cookery, in anointing the person, for making soap, and for burning in lamps. In Europe it is chiefly used for the manufacture of soap and for burning in table lamps, for which it is better suited than cocoanut oil, owing to the lower temperature at which the latter congeals.