OILS 265 



wood oil used in China and exported from China to other 

 countries. This is the tree which, according to all observers, 

 recommends itself for general cultivation in other countries. 

 It grows rapidly, seldom attains a height of more than 30 

 feet, and develops a much branched, rounded head. The 

 flowers appear before the leaves and are extremely ornamen- 

 tal. The fruit ordinarily ripens in September and October. 

 Each nut contains from 2 to $ seeds. The yield per tree 

 varies from I to 5 bushels or more. Until recently there have 

 been no cultivated plantations of this tree in China. At present 

 a renewed interest is shown in the planting of this tree. 



In China the oil from both common species of Aleurites 

 is used for a great number of purposes. In the first place, 

 the oil is the chief paint oil of the country and is widely 

 employed as a varnish and water-proofing material. For this 

 purpose it is not mixed with other materials but is used as 

 such for oiling boats, houses, and all kinds of woodwork. The 

 oil has been shown to possess great endurance toward the 

 action of salt water and toward weathering. From Hankow 

 the annual export of tung oil is 15,000 tons or more. Cor- 

 responding quantities are exported from Wuchow. 



In Europe and America, tung oil is largely used by paint 

 and varnish makers and also by artists. Tung oil dries the 

 most quickly of all known vegetable oils. It does not, how- 

 ever, produce so clear, transparent, and smooth a film as lin- 

 seed oil. The difficulties in the technical use of the oil, 

 however, have been largely overcome. At present tung oil is 

 largely employed in paint driers as well as in varnishes. 



The related tree (A. cordata), which grows quite widely at 

 least in Japan, furnishes an oil commonly known as Japanese 

 wood oil which has been used locally in Japan but thus far 

 has not entered widely into international commerce. In gen- 

 eral appearance this tree resembles A. montana of China. The 

 fruit is more nearly 3-lobed, often tapering toward the point, 

 and contains 3 to 5 smooth, compressed seeds. 



