570 INDUSTRIAL USES OF FOREST FRUITS. 



also very pvfjudiciul to the quality of the oil. If it is intended 

 to produce oil of the best quality, the dried beech-nuts should 

 be peeled. The removal of the hard testa from the nuts is 

 advisable, not only to improve the quality of the oil, but also 

 to increase its quantity as the results given below will show. 

 It can be best effected by threshing the stove-dried nuts and 

 winnowing them, so as to remove the chaflf. The nuts are then 

 pressed in an oil-mill, and they should be cold-pressed in order 

 to preserve the flavour of the oil. 



The quantity of beech-oil produced is very variable — according 

 to the season, the more or less careful removal of impurities and 

 bad nuts, the amount of pressure they have received and 

 whether or not they have been peeled. Pressing beech-nuts for 

 oil pays the forest owner better than leasing the pannage. 

 According to Ihrig, the yield of an acre of mature, densely- 

 stocked beech high forest in a good mast-year, is about 18 

 bushels of cleanly sifted and dried beech-nuts, worth i£2 and 

 more.* 



Bechstein states that 1 cwt. of dry beech-nuts yields 8 lbs. of 

 oil. In experiments made in 1843 (in a dry year), 5 '2 lbs. of 

 dry beech-nuts gave 1 lb. of oil, about 19'2 %. Kissling states 

 that 120 lbs. of dried beech-nuts gave 85 lbs, of kernels, and 

 these yielded 19 lbs. of oil, whilst 120 lbs. of unpeeled nuts only 

 gave 13 lbs. of oil. 



R. Wagner's experiments gave the following results : — 



Kiinl of Nuts. Year. Peicentaj;e of Oil. 



Beech 1857 23*3 



1858 25 



1859 18 to 22-6 

 Hazel (peeled) 1858 50 



1859 52 to 54 



Lime 30*2 to 41*7 



Cembran-pine (unpeeled) 29'2 



(peeled) 36-5 



It may be mentioned that beech-nuts have been used as a 



* Forticr statt-.s that in tiie forest of Retz, nn acre of beecliwood ir»0 years old 

 with 70 trees jieracre yielded in 1867. 55 bushels an acre, and in a Avood 85 years 

 oM, liair lliat nuautity. Ike. dcs Eaux cl Forils, 187■.^ p. 240. 



