280 JEUPHOBBIACE^. 



same cluster, the former being the most numerous. Tlic fruit 

 is 2-cellecl, fleshy, roundish, and, when ripe, of an olive colour, 

 its greatest diameter about 2^ inches; each cell contains one 

 ovoid somewhat flattened nut, the shell of which is very hard 

 and thick ; the kernel is conform to the nut, white and oily. 



Chemical conij) oh it ion. —The nuts have been examined by 

 Nallino (Gaz. Chim. Ifal, ii., 257), who fouud the average 

 weight of the husks to be 6-5 grams, of the almonds 3-3 grams 



Composition of hiisks : water, 3-71; organic matter, 89-90; 



mineral matter, 6-39. Composition of almonds: water, 5'25; 



fat (extracted by carbon sulphide), 62-97; cellulose and other 



C omposition of 



orsranic 



the ash of the almond: lime, 18-69; magnesia, 6-01; potash 

 11-33; phosphoric anhydride, 29-30. The fatty matter 

 extracted from the almonds by carbon sulphide at ordinary 

 temperatures forms a transparent, amber-yellow, syrupy liq^^^ 

 When cooled to —10°, it becomes viscous, but neither loses its 

 transparency nor changes colour. According to Braiint, 

 oil has a specific gravity of 1 -940 at 59°r. It consists of an 

 olein resembling linolein, besides myristiu, palmatin aud^cann. 

 The purgative principle is probably an acrid resm. 

 cake from Indian and Tahitian seeds has respectively the 

 following percentage composition : — 



The 



Oil 



Indian. Tahitian 



8-93 9-20 



Organic matter 74-04 74-24 



8-96 ^'SG 



Ash 



Water 7-07 720 



The albuminoids were respectively equal to 52 and 51'^ F'" 



cent. {Brannt.), 



An aUied oil (from Akiirif. ^ cordaUi) has been examined by 

 air. B. n. Daviea {Pha,,u. Journ, [3] xv., 636). It i« ^^'^ 

 wood oil of China, and has remarkable drying properties. The 

 sponhe gravity at lO^ oc. is •«) iO, and is unaffected by u 



