Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1910-04-01
A USEFUL TREE.
II Yields OIL, Wine, Food
Medicine and POu1tices.
tcharge d'Affairs Ellis. Monrovia.)

palm kernels In 1905 was s66 a ton,
but the oil expressed from them was
worth $3.50 a ton. The price now
paid for kernels In local markets is
si.20 to s1.32 a bushel, against 81
year ago. Palm kernels have lately
been selling in Europe at 5000
ton for Liberian kernels and S72 for
kernels from farther down the West
Coast. In 1908 Liberia exported
195,490 bushels OF the kernels, re-
ceiving therefor S1e5,49O Palm oil
ranks highest in Liberian exports,
and in 1908 brought $35O.193.
To secure palm oil, the outside pulp
or pericarp is removed and the nuts
are laid aside to dry. They are then
cracked between two rocks and the
inner kernels preserved for use and
trade II is estimated that two hun
dred weight of nuts produce fifty-six
pounds of kernels. A portable nut
cracking machine is much needed in
Liberia. Generally the shells Of the
inner palm kernels are used for fuel,
yet some Africans use them in decora-
tioD and dress, for such purposes as
finger rings necklaces, bracelets. etc.
For local consumption the Africans
prepare two kinds of oil from the
palm kernel:
% The better quality of kernel
oil is manufactured by putting a
quantity of kernels into a wooden
mortar and pounding them, and then
grinding them thoroughly on a stone,
making fine paste, which is then
mixed with cold water and stirred.
The oil rises in white Jumps to the
surface. and after collection is boiled.
This oil is Of light straw color,
which, after exposure to the sun and
dew, turns beautifully white. Being
wholesome and palatable, it is a good
substitute for lard. 1t relieves a
cough, and used in moderation is bet
ter than shea butter as an emolient
for the skin.
(2) The eommoner kind of kernel
oil is obtained by frying the kernels
in a pan until a dark oil is extracted,
which is strained and kept for dress
ing the hair or rubbing on the body.
To secure more oil from the kernels
they are pounded. ground fine. and
then boiled, when the floating oil is
skinned off. The skimming is re-
peated until all the oil has been ex-
tracted from the kernels.
The wine Of the palm also is an
important article for African con-
sumption and may possess an export
value when its properties and uses
are more thoroughly understood.
From the palm cabbage there are two
methods Of securing what is common
ly called palm wine: "a By Telling
the tree and inserting a reed in a
hole cut in the cabbage and allowing
the sap to run into a receptacle; t2)
by climbing the tree and inserting
reed in hole cut in the cabbage as
the tree stands. If the flow is slow
it may be increased by the daily appli-
cation of lighted torch made Of the
midrib of the palm leaf to the side Of
the hole nearest to the trunk of the
tree; by cutting off fresh slice now
and again from the eharred wound
the sap will continue sometimes for
more than thirty days. Trees with
the most luxuriant leaves gives more
sap than those with few leaves. For
the local market this palm wine is
prepared in two forms-sweet and
dry. In making the sweet wine the
juice is mixed in equal portions with
water, and after being boiled for
some time is allowed to cool. The
next morning fresh wine is added and
the whole thoroughly stirred The
boiling causes the wine to retain Its
sweetness for some time. The dry
wine is made in much the same way,
except that it is not boiled
Aside from being used as a bever-
age, palm wine has some other uses
which might be mentioned. In max
ing bread it is used for yeast. BY the
addition of hot water its strength is
greatly reduced. It has great diuretic
properties and much greater sustain
ing powers Mixed with a little cay
enne pepper, it can sustain a laborer
on the farm for many hours without
other food. It is also used as vinegar.
The goldsmith uses palm wine with
alum to clean and renovate his i'm
plements Effective as an insecticide
when sprinkled about. it is also a
powerful and satisfactory disinfect-
ant. 1t is good for cleaning any foul
utensil, and by soaking them in it
over night rust of all kinds is re-
moved
A similar substance and fine sub
stitute is prepared from the pineap-
pie fruit by removing the skin and
the core and squeezing out the juice
of the remaining fruit. After strain
ing and boiling this juice one has
splendid beverage. sweet and spark
ling. 1t may be used also for making
bread. as is palm wine. Pineapple
juice also heals sore throat and makes
an appetizing vinegar.
The heart OF palm cabbage is used
as a vegetable. It's extraction kills
the tree. A fine mushroom grows on
the spot where a trunk has decayed.
The palm cabbage is also used as a
lint for dressing wounds, and when
dry is used for tinder The back Of
the palm stalk is scraped off and used
as a dressing for wounds. When
few of the leaves are beaten and wa
ter is added. the liquor when strained
off and mixed with maize porridge
will stop diarrhea. Ferns on the oil
palm when made into paste and mixed
with oil are good for cuts. A decOra-
ton of the roots is used as q remedy
for biliousness and iaundice The
male flower of the palm tree burned
into charcoal is good for use as a
dressing on burns. A poultice Of
pounded palm leaves mixed with oil
is useful for wound dressing gener.