Mauritius exported 271,970 gal. of the oil, valued at 28,007/. in 1875, and 253,553 gal., value in 1878. The Seychelles exported 162,475 volts (of gal.) of oil in 1877, and 174,656f volts in 1878.
Tahiti exported 690 tons of oil in 1868, and 420 tons in 1873. The Friendly Islands shipped, 704 tons in 1866. The Fiji Islands exported 600 tons in 1864, and 200 tons in 1S70.
Improved methods and machinery for extracting coeo-nut-oil will be described in a separate section (see p. 1451). The oil is white, and almost as fluid and limpid as water in tropical climates, but solidifies at 16°-18° (61°-64° F.), and consequently generally appears in Europe as a solid, opaque, unctuous substance, of the consistence of butter, and fusible at 24°-28° (75°-82° F.). When fresh, its odour and flavour are sweet and agreeable, but it quickly becomes rancid. It dis solves readily In alcohol, and saponifies with facility. lts principal fatty acid is laurostearic, to gether with oleic, palmitic, myristic, and some of less importance, all combined with glycerine. In Europe, the chief applications of the oil are for candle- and soap-making. It is an excellent illu minator, in both candles and lamps, as it emits no smoke ; and it forms a hard and very white soap, more soluble in salt water than any other kind made on a commercial scale. During the last 15 years, its consumption for soap-making in England has been greatly reduced by the competition of palm-kernel-oil, extracted here. In the East, the oil is largely used in cooking and medicine while fresh, aud for burning, painting, soap-making, aud anointing the body, when rancid.
Colza- or Rape-oil (FR., Huile de Colza ; GER., Colzaol, Rapsol).—Colza-oil and rape-oil are identical, and are derived from several species or varieties of Brassica, chiefly B. campestris and B. Napus [Napa oleifera], the seeds being known as rape-seed or cole-seed. The crop is extensively cultivated on the Continent and in India for the sake of the oleaginous seed. The mode of culture practised in Normandy is as follows. The seed is sown broadcast in July, preferably during wet weather, on well-manured land, forming the seed-bed of the future plants. When it is intended to transplant the young plants, the sowing is effected as with turnip- or oabbage-seed. In September
November, the young plants are removed from the seed-bed to a field richly manured with farm yard dung, and which has just previously grown a crop of wheat. The plants are set out at distances of 18 in. in rows 2 ft. apart ; in extra good soil, the crop will be heavier, and more equally ripened, by wider planting. One furrow is generally left between each two rows. The plants quickly recover, and remain thus till February, when the ground is pulverized with a horse hoe after the frosts. At this season, manuring is beneficial, the applioation usually taking the form of guano, rape-dust, or the cake left from expressing rape-oil, this last being an excellent stimulant. After this spring dressing, a double mould-board plough is passed between the drills, to throw the earth well up to the stems of the plants. The chief enemies of the orop are hail and the heavy rains of July. The harvest takes place towards the middle of July, the orop being ready as soon as the straw and seed-pods become yellow. The cutting is done by slake, and the plants as cut are laid across the ridges, so that air may circulate well amongst them. After 6-10 days, threshing commences. A space cleared in the field is covered with sail-cloth, and to this the sheaves are brought by means of a light hand-barrow lined with canvas. Great care is necessary in handling the stems, as the seed falls out very readily. The threshing is done with flails, the slightest stroke sufficing. The grain is stored dry, and needs constant turning to prevent its heating and spoiling. The colour and strength are also better preserved by the admixture of a certain quantity of husk with the seed ; but nothing will obviate the necessity for repeated turning and thorough ventilation.
A second Frenoh mode of growing resembles Scotch turnip-oulture. The seed is sown in drills, with guano, bone-dust, or other manure, in spring and iu damp weather. Transplanting is not adopted, but the plants are thinned out, as if raising swedes for seed. The crop is nearly as heavy as that obtained by the Other method, and the cost is greatly diminished by the saving effected in labour.