THE CANDLE-NUT AND COLZA OIL. 539 



nut, and, when ripe, relinquishes its hold, and the nut falls to the 

 ground, when it is gathered for use. A good-sized healthy tree 

 yields about a bushel of nuts, but the greater number are not so 

 prolific. The trees close to the stream present a more healthy 

 appearance, probably on account of being better watered, and the 

 fire being less powerful close to the stream. 



THE CANDLE JSTuT TEEE (Aleurites triloba, of Foster) grows in 

 the Polynesian Islands, and is also met with in some parts of Jamaica 

 and the East Indies. In the latter quarter it is known as the 

 Indian Akhrowt. A very superior kind of paint oil is produced 

 from the nut, and the cake, after the expression of the oil, forms 

 an excellent food for cattle, and a useful manure. 31^ gallons 

 of the nut yield ten gallons of oil, which bears a good price in 

 the home markets. 



The yearly produce of this oil in the Sandwich Isles, where it 

 is called kukui oil, is about 10,000 gallons. It has been shipped 

 to the markets of Chili, JS'ew South Wales, and London, but not 

 as yet with much profit. It realized about 20 per imperial ton 

 in the port of London. In 1843, about 8,620 gallons were 

 shipped from Honolulu, valued at Is. Sd. per gallon. 



In. Ceylon the oil is known as kekune oil, and a good deal of it 

 might be obtained there from the district of BaduUa, Prom the 

 trials made it appears that it cannot be used as a drying oil, 

 but will probably answer best as a substitute for rape oil. Samples 

 have been sent to several clothiers, and the nature and quality of 

 the oil renders it most applicable to their purposes. 



COLZA (JBrassica oleracea), a variety of the common cabbage, 

 is much grown in the South of Europe and other parts, for the 

 oil obtained by pressure from its seeds, and which is used 

 for lamps and other purposes. The plant will not thrive on sand 

 or clay, but requires a rich light soil. After the ground has been 

 well ploughed and manured, the seed should be sown in July, in 

 furrows eight or ten inches asunder. The plants are transplanted 

 about October. When ripe the stalks are reaped with a sickle, 

 and the seeds threshed out with a flail. The cake, after the oil is 

 expressed, is an excellent food for cattle. 



Like all the oleaginous plants cultivated for their seed, colza 

 greatly impoverishes the soil. 



In Peru the caoutchouc is used as a substitute for candles. A 

 roll of it (which is generally about a yard long and three 

 inches in diameter) is cut lengthways into four parts, but 

 before it is lighted the piece is rolled up in a green plantain 

 leaf, to prevent it from melting or taking fire down the sides. 

 The natives of Peru also bruize the beans of a species of wild 

 cacao after they have been well dried, and use the substance in- 

 stead of tallow in their lamps. 



Mr. Dearman, writing from Dacca, to Dr. Spry, Secretary to the 

 Agricultural and Horticultural Societies of India, in 1839, says 

 " I will send you some seeds from a tree, which resemble chest- 

 nuts. One of these seeds, after taking off the shell, being stuck 



