ON CULINARY VEGETABLES. 351 



The greater part of the seeds of oleaginous plants con- 

 tain albumen, and it is from this, that the oil is obtained ; 

 but when the seed has no albumen, as is the case with the 

 poppy, it is the embryo which furnishes the oil. 



In the family of the Euphorbiacece, all of which have 

 oleaginous seeds, the embryo is of a venomous nature, 

 and oil extracted from it would be poisonous ; while that 

 expressed from the albumen of the same plant, situated 

 contiguous to the embryo, is perfectly innocent. Such is 

 Bancul nut, (Jlleurites Moluccanum,) which is remarkably 

 mild, and is eaten by the inhabitants of the Molucca isles, 

 as we eat hedg-nuts in Europe, while oil obtained from 

 the embryo is an acrid poison. 



Emily. Can oil be expressed from plants growing 

 wild, or is it necessary they should be cultivated in order 

 to supply it ? 



Mrs. B. Some small quantity may be obtained from 

 thistles : the stone pine, and plum-tree of Briancon also 

 yield it ; but it is the seed of the beech-tree alone 

 which affords it in sufficient abundance to make it worth 

 the labor of obtaining. The forest of Villers-Coterot, in 

 France, produces a great quantity of this oil. It is less 

 liable to become rancid than any other, and, on this ac- 

 count, is often mixed with olive oil, which is to be export- 

 ed to America or any other distant part ; but it all passes 

 under the name of olive oil. 



The fixed oils obtained by cultivation may be ranged 

 under three heads : first, olive oil, the produce of warm 

 climates ; secondly, nut oil, that of temperate climates ; 

 and, thirdly, oils obtained from the seeds of oleaginous 

 herbs. 



The olive-tree originally came from Syria. That plant, 

 as well as the vine, was brought to Marseilles by the Pho- 

 cians ; and, at the present day, it is cultivated on all the 

 shores of the Mediterranean. It is a tree of very slow 

 growth, but of long duration : it can support a tempera- 

 ture as low as eight or ten degrees of Fahrenheit, provi- 

 ded the air be dry ; but, if accompanied with humidity, 



1904. From what is the oil in oleaginous plants obtained, and what 

 exception to this does the poppy make'? 1905. What is said of the 

 Bancul nut 7 1906. From what wild plants may oil be obtained! 

 1907. What is said of the oil of the beech-tree nut? 1908. Under 

 what three heads may the fixed oils obtained by cultivation be classed! 



