Shea, or galam butter, is obtained in Western Africa from the Bassia Parkii, or Pentadisma butyracea, a tree closely resembling the B. latifolia, and other species indigenous to Hindostan.  According to Park, the tree is abundant in Bambara, the oil is solid, of a greyish-white color, and fuses at 97 degrees.  Its product is used for a variety of purposes—­for cooking, burning in lamps, &c.

This tree has much of the character of the laurel, but grows to the height of eighteen or twenty feet.  Its leaf is somewhat longer than the laurel, and is a little broader at the point; the edges of the leaf are gently curved, and are of a dark sap green color.  The nut is of the form and size of a pigeon’s egg, and the kernel completely fills the shell.  When fresh it is of a white drab color, but, if long kept, becomes the color of chocolate.  The kernel, when new, is nearly all butter, which is extracted in the following manner:—­The shell is removed from the kernel, which is also crushed, and then a quantity is put into an earthen pot or pan, placed over the fire with a portion of water and the nut kernels.  After boiling slowly about half an hour the whole is strained through a grass mat into a clean vessel, when it is allowed to cool.  Then, after removing the fibrous part from it, it is put into a grass bag and pressed so as to obtain all the oil.  This is poured into the vessel along with the first-mentioned portion, and when cold is about the consistence of butter.

The nuts hang in bunches from the different boughs, but each nut has its own fibre, about seven or eight inches long, and about the thickness and color of whip-cord.  The nut is attached to the fibre in a very singular manner.  The end of the fibre is concealed by a thin membrane, about half an inch wide and three-quarters of an inch long.  This membrane is attached to the side of the nut, and, when ripe, relinquishes its hold, and the nut falls to the ground, when it is gathered for use.  A good-sized healthy tree yields about a bushel of nuts, but the greater number are not so prolific.  The trees close to the stream present a more healthy appearance, probably on account of being better watered, and the fire being less powerful close to the stream.

THE CANDLE NUT TREE (Aleurites triloba, of Foster) grows in the Polynesian Islands, and is also met with in some parts of Jamaica and the East Indies.  In the latter quarter it is known as the Indian Akhrowt.  A very superior kind of paint oil is produced from the nut, and the cake, after the expression of the oil, forms an excellent food for cattle, and a useful manure. 311/2 gallons of the nut yield ten gallons of oil, which bears a good price in the home markets.

The yearly produce of this oil in the Sandwich Isles, where it is called kukui oil, is about 10,000 gallons.  It has been shipped to the markets of Chili, New South Wales, and London, but not as yet with much profit.  It realized about L20 per imperial ton in the port of London.  In 1843, about 8,620 gallons were shipped from Honolulu, valued at 1s. 8d. per gallon.