BY FRANK SMITH. B.SC, F.I.C. (>5 



The oil contaiued in the nut is of recognised vahie 

 for a variety of purposes. It belongs to the class of drying 

 oils typified by Unseed oil, and besides, being adapted 

 for burning and soap making, is suitable for the prepara- 

 tion of oil- varnishes, paints and linoleum, in the manu- 

 facture of which linseed oil is largely utilised. 



The cathartic properties that are generally recognised 

 as pertaining to both kernels and oil mitigate against 

 dietetic use. The nuts, however, were a common article 

 of diet among the Queensland aboriginal tribes, being princi- 

 pallv utihsed after roasting, the action of heat minimising 

 the deleterious effect. 



The oil has been frequently described* but it has been 

 deemed worth while to make a brief examination of that 

 of Queensland origin from nuts kindly suppUed by C. E. 

 Wood, Esq.. of the Kamerunga State Nursery. 



Extraction wiih. petroleum ether gave 70 per cent 

 of pale yellow, limpid oil, a higher figure than generally 

 reported. ^ 



Lewkowitsch gave 58 . 6 per cent ; Guthrie and Ramsay 

 found 59.93 per cent in a sample of Pacific Island nuts ; 

 and Wilcox and Thompson report a maximum of 66.25 

 per cent. 



The follo"\Wng constants were determined : — 



Saponification Value .. .. 187.0 



Iodine Value .. .. .. .. 161.8 



Hexabromides .. .. .. .. 13.2 per cent. 



The iodine value agrees closely with the value given. 

 by Lewkowitsch, viz.. 163.7, and the yield of hexabromides 

 is markedly higher than the 7.28- 8.21 per cent 

 obtained by Walker and Warburtont, but below the value 

 for linseed oil (23 per cent). 



* Lewkowitsch, " Oils, Fats, and Waxes." 3rd Edition, V^ol. II., 

 p. 468. 



Guthrie and Ramsay. Agric. Gazette, X.S.W.. 17 (1906), p. 859. 

 Wilcox and Thompson. Hawaii Agric. Exp. Stat. Bidl 39 (1913). 

 t Analyst, 1902, 237. 



