Chironji-oil.—The fruit-kernels of Buchanania talifolia, a common forest-tree in Coromandel, Malabar, and Mysore, yield 50 per cent. of a pure, pale-straw-coloured, limpid, sweet, wholesome, edible oil, seldom found in the market, as the kernel is an esteemed dessert-fruit.
Cocculus indicus (see Drugs, p. 808).—The seeds contain about 50 per cent. of fatty oil, principally composed of stearine, which is extracted by the natives of India, and used for industrial purposes, but seems to he quite unknown in commerce.
and (Fa., Haile de Coco, Beurre de Coco ; GER., Cocosnussol, Cocostalg, Cocosbutter).—As indicated by its name, this oil is obtained from the fruit of the c,oco-nut-palm. The cultivation and distribution of this valuable tree have already been fully discussed elsewhere (see Nuts, p. 1353); the present remarks will be confined to the oil.
The albuminous pulp dried at ordinary temperatures (called " copra" or " copperah ") contains 54.3 per cent. of oil, and dried at 100° (212° F.), 66 per cent. For preparing copra, only ripe nuts should be collected, and they should not be broken till 4-6 weeks after gathering ; the copra then dries more quickly, does not become mouldy, and affords a greater yield of oil.
An Indian method of extracting this oil, when it is required to he colourless for perfumery manufacture, is as follows. The kernel is plunged into water, and boiled for a few minutes, then grated, and placed in a press ; the emulsion thus obtained is boiled until the oil rises to the surface. This process is not cheap enough for ordinary commercial oils, and recourse is had to rude forms of oil-mill, worked by oxen, and treating about 130 lb. of copra daily, obtaining about 40 qt. of oil. Another plan is to divide the kernel into pieces, and dry them on shelves over charcoal fires ; after 2-3 days, they are put into the press. By this method, 100 nuts carefully dried are estimated to yield by pressure 10-13 edangalies (of 92 cub. in.) of oil, or 40 nuts to a gallon ; inferior nuts will not give more than 3-9 edangalies ; those from trees on salt marshes afford the least oil.
In 1870-1, Bengal exported 7818 gal., and Bombay, 61,735 gal. ; Madras shipped 1,088,887 gal. in 1869-70. The value of the oil exported from Malabar in 1873 was 356,187/. The exports of the oil from Ceylon were 278,216 cwt., value 330,689/., in 1872, and 175,423 cwt., 204,661/. in 1878. The best comes from the Malabar ports, and locally fetches 20s. a ton more than that from Ceylon or the Coromandel Coast ; yet in Western commerce, Ceylon oil is considered the best, and commands the highest price, Cochin and other kinds following.
The natives of Matabello (Ke Islands) are almost entirely occupied in making coco-nut-oil, which they sell to the Bugis and Goram traders, who carry it to Banda and Amboyna.
In the vicinity of Borongan, in the Philippines, quantities of eoco-nut-oil are produced, and some 12,000 pitchers of it are exported yearly to Manilla; the nuts locally consumed would afford at least another 8000 pitchers. About 1000 nuts are required to yield 11 pitchers of oil by the rude process here adopted, which is as follows. The kernel is rasped out of the woody shell of the nut on rough boards, and placed in old boats elevated on posts to undergo putrefaction ; the oil escapes through the crevices of the boats into vessels placed beneath, and the pulp is finally pressed. The whole operation occupies several months, and yields a dark-brown viscid article, worth only 2f dol. in Manilla, where a superior oil fetches 6 dol. Recently a factory has been erected at Borougan for the better preparation of the oil. The grating of the pulp is performed by iron discs with toothed edges, radiating from the ends of iron rods, and bluntly pointed towards the centre of the fruit. These discs are made to rotate by suitable gearing, while the workmen force the inner face of half cow-nuts, held firmly by both hands, and pressed by means of A pad on the chest, against the revolving rasps. The finely shredded nut lies for 12 hours in flat pans, to undergo partial decomposition, and is then gently pressed ; the resulting liquor, consisting of 4. oil and 9 water is caught in tubs, and after standing for 6 hours, the supernatant oil is skimmed off. The latter is next heated in iron pans holding about 20-25 gal., until all the water has evaporated, occupying 2-3 hours. In order to cool the oil rapidly, and prevent its deepening in colour, 2 pailsful of cold oil, freed from water, are poured in, and the fire is quickly withdrawn. The compressed shreds are once more exposed to the air, and then subjected to powerful pressure. After these two operations have been twice repeated, the rasped substance is suspended in sacks between strong vertical boards, and alternately squeezed and shaken up for a considerable time. The refuse finally serves as pig_ food. The oil which runs from the sacks is quite free from water, and very clear, and is used for cooling that extracted by the boiling process.