OILS 279 



The almond oil of commerce is chiefly expressed from bitter 

 almonds in the Mediterranean countries and Persia. The 

 seeds yield from 20 to 45 per cent, of oil. In trade the oil is 

 much adulterated with oil from peach or apricot kernels. Al- 

 mond oil is used almost exclusively for pharmaceutical pur- 

 poses. By distilling the seeds an essential oil of bitter almonds 

 is obtained for use in perfumery, confectionery, and medicine. 



Tea oil is obtained chiefly from the seeds of Camellia cleifera 

 and other species of this genus, including the commercial tea 

 plant. The production of tea seeds for oil is confined largely to 

 China, Tonkin, Assam, and Japan. For this purpose the seeds 

 are gathered in the fall. The seeds yield 15 per cent, of oil 

 by pressure. This oil is sometimes used as a food oil in China, 

 but in Japan it is employed chiefly as an expensive hair oil 

 and for lubricating delicate machinery. Tea oil is light yellow 

 in color, closely resembling olive oil in its general character, 

 but possessing a somewhat acrid taste. It serves fairly well 

 as an illuminating oil and gives excellent results in the manu- 

 facture of hard white soap. The press cake obtained as a resi- 

 due in the manufacture of tea oil is poisonous and therefore 

 of no value as a cattle feed. Its fertilizing value is also rather 

 low. 



Ben oil is obtained from the seeds of Moringa pterygos- 

 perma, a tree native to India, Syria, Arabia, Nigeria, Jamaica, 

 and other countries. The seeds of this tree yield about 36 per 

 cent, of oil. Ben oil is composed of 60 per cent, liquid oil and 

 40 per cent, white solid fat. The oil has a yellowish color. It 

 is used in the Orient as a cosmetic oil and also in the enfleurage 

 process of extracting perfumes from flowers. 



Sterculia oil is derived from the seed of a moderate-sized 

 tree (S. fcetida), native to the East Indies, Indo-China, and 

 Malaya. The seeds of this tree yield 30 per cent, of oil, which 

 is commonly used in Java and other Oriental countries as a 

 cooking oil and for illuminating purposes. 



Canari oil is obtained from the pili nut tree (Carnarium 



