The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1915-03-10
PALM kernel
OIL TRADE IS
VERY HARD HIT
In Africa by the Great War
Struggle among the Ma
tons of Europe.

WASHINGTON. d. c., Mar. g..
Palm kernels and the palm kernel
oil trade in Africa have been hard
hit by the present war in Europe. z
says a statement issued today by the
National Geographic Society at Wash
ington- Palm kernel oil manufac-
ture has hitherto been among those
industries Of which the world seldom
hears Modern civilization, however,
consumes vast quantities of this ar
ticle, and its demands for the oil are
steadily and rapidly growing.
The oil palm is a native of west
tropical Africa, and its exploitation
has remained almost entirely IN the
hands of the Germans and British.
The Germans have taken the leading
part in the upbuildins OF this indus
try. and, with their activity war
smothered, a serious falling off in the
output OF palm oil is to be expected.
Use Oil For Food.
The West African natives extract
ed tho oil, and used it for food, for
toilet purposes. and for barter with
white men. Their method of OBJ
tanning the oil Ms wasteful and ted
fous, and III recent years the natives
have practically lost all part in the
commences. Palm kernel oil is said
to be the oldest staple in the west
African coast trade.
For long time palm kernel oil
was brought into commerce for the
exclusive uses Of the soap-maker and
the chandler. Today, it has scores of
uses. and its field for employment is
widening steadily. The annual West
African turnover OF this 1ittle-known
business has reached $4,000, 900.
Nut Buffers
"Deodorized by hydrogen, palm
oil is used in the preparation of nut
buffers. Tho glyceTine constituents
of nitroglycerine are being derived
more and more from palm oil. This
product. further. has a number Of
medicinal uses: 1t is employed in the
arts, and in the manufacture of soap.
metal polish and lubricants.
With secure future ahead Of it,
the palm kernel oil industry before
the war was attracting capital and
labor almost as rubber did when a
manifolding of this articles uses
made ever greater demands upon the
producers. The palm oil orchard
was beginning to push the rubber
plantation and the orange grove in
restn1ents for popularity.
Good Live Stock Food.
Germany, the land of scientific
methods and exact organization. de-
veloped this trade and conferred the
manufacture of It's raw material in
Hamburg. Here large mills were
opened; the palm kernel oil was won,
and the residue was prepared as palm
kernel cake and meal. The by-prod-
uct has been found to be an excep-
5tfonal1y good feed for dairy cattle.
The oil was. also, extracted to some
extent in Liverpool. Great Britain
and Germany practically controlled
the trade between them. though sew
eral other countries have been small
producers.
Those interested in the oil insist
that the manufacturers of soaps and
margerines will always be ready to
take any quantity that may become
available. Since the outbreak OF the
war. the supply has been largely cut
down, and this setback may result in
drawing several OF the neutral ma
tions into the producing field.
One ton OF kernel produces 1000
pounds of oil, or the kernels yield be-
tween 46 and 53 per cent oil. The
palm kernel cake has played an i'm
5portant part in Germany's dairy de-
velopment of recent years. AS a
dairy feed. 1t has been found unusu-
ally valuable. It increases the milk
weld. improves the butterfat, and
enriches the coloring Of the butter