OLR'E OIL. 11 



the oil-mill, in «'hich the stones are also crushed. From 

 this only an inferior kind of oil can be extracted. For 

 a third time the oil-mill is set going and completely 

 grinds up the sediment, which has been previously mixed 

 with water. The oil floats on the surface of the water 

 and is drawn off. This, being of still less value, is mainly 

 used in the manufacture of soap. And lastly the remains 

 of the stones and pulp are turned to account as fuel, in 

 this land where fire-wood is scarce. 



Kven the purest table oil that Hows from the press 

 has to be carefully strained before it is read)' for sale. 

 It is poured into vats which are stood one above the 

 other in a dark place. The unclarificd oil in the upper- 

 most vat finds its way out at the bung-hole, having 

 previously passed through wadding cased in perforated 

 zinc, and Hows into a second vat, and from this, having 

 again passed through ^^'adding, into a third. This 

 wadding must be changed several times in the day. 

 From the third vat the oil runs into cisterns, which in 

 Nice are lined with porcelain. The oil has to remain 

 in these three months before it is bottled and exported. 



The value of each different quality of oil is fixed 

 bv a "Degustateur" (taster), whose palate is as highly 

 trained as is that of the wine or tea taster. The De- 

 gustateur not only gives his judgment on the sorts which 

 he tests, but he must also be able to detect adulteration 

 by other vegetable oils. 



Most picturesciue are the old oil-mills which one 

 meets with on the rushing streams in the ravines around 

 Bordighera. Shaded b}- old trees and o\'ergrown with 



