A hand-book of Indian products : art manufactures and raw materials / [T. N. Mukharji].

  • Mukharji, T. N.
Date:
1883
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A hand-book of Indian products : art manufactures and raw materials / [T. N. Mukharji]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    177/198 page 165
    spirit manufacturers. ]\Iajor Drury states that the Mahua spirit, if carefully distilled, resembles good Irish whisky in taste. An oil is obtained by expression from the seeds which is used for burning in lamps, as well as for adulterating ghi (clarified butter). It is also suitable for the manufacture of soap. Medi- cinally, a decoction of the flowers^is given in coughs ; the spirit used as a stimulaut; the kernels as a demulcent; and the oil applied externally as an emollient. The wood is strong and was tried as railway sleepers in the Central Provinces. Bassia longifolia. Wild Sapota Tree. Vern.—Tamil, Illu['pai ; Ippa ; Burmese, Kan-zan. A species of the above tree, found in Southern India. The flowers of this species are more fleshy, and are eaten as food after being roasted, as well as the skins of the fruit, boiled to the consistency of jelly. The oil obtained from the seeds is used as a lamp oil, in the manufacture of country soap, and as a substitute for ghi (clarified butter) and cocoanut oil in cooking curries and making sweet-cakes. Dr. Balfour states that the seeds contain about 30 per cent of oil, which is of a bright yellow colour, and that it may form an important article of export, as it makes good candles and soap. Medicinally, a decoc- tion of the bark, the leaves, and the green fruit is employed as an astringent and emollient, and also in the cure of itch and rheumatic affections; the oil is applied externally for skin diseases. The cakes left after the expression of the oil are used in washing the head, for which purpose they are exported to places where the tree does not grow. Brassica campestris. (Sinapis) Mustard Var.—Dichotoma Roxh., The Black Mustard. Vern.—Kalli sarsou. Var.—Glauca, Roxb., Bapeseed or yellow Mustard. Vern.—Pila sarson. Var.—Glauca, Roijle. Vern. — Lahi Tarra or Torria, of Northern India. The seeds of this species are perhaps the most important of all the Indian oil-seeds. They afford the oil with which the people cook their vegetables and fish, and which they burn in
    digitised image 1
    digitised image 2
    digitised image 3