78 NOTES ON THE AGRICULTURE, BOTANY 



Nikolsku, A. M. Reptiles and Fishes. S. Petersburg. 



Dybowski, B. The fishes of the Amur system. (Journal of the 



Siberian Branch of the Russian Imp. Geograph. Sc. VIII, 



Nos. 1-2, 1877). 

 Dybowski, B. Zur Kenntniss der Fisch fauna des Amurgebietes. 



(Verb. Zool. bot. Gesell. Wien, XXII, 1872). 

 Warpashovski, N. and Hertzenstern, C. Notes on the ichthyology of 



the Amur basin and neighbouring countries. (The works of 



S. Petersburg Natur. Sc. XIX, 1887). 

 Schmidt, P. S. The fishes of the Eastern sea of the Russian Empire. 



S. Petersburg, 1904, Publication of the Russian Imp. Geo. Soc. 



XVIII. — The Little Known and New Oil Plants 

 in Manchuria. 



Manchuria, being rich in the production of soya beans, 

 linseed, hempseed, (Perilla ocymoides L.), sesame (Sesamun 

 indicum L.), is very well known as a district which produces 

 a great deal of vegetable oil. In addition to the oil-plants 

 indicated here, mention should be made of some little known 

 and new plants, found in a wild state throughout Manchuria. 

 The first in order is the Manchurian Cedar (Pinus mans- 

 churica Rupr.) This tree is very common in the mountain- 

 ous parts of the country and produces fir cones 6 inches long 

 with about 100-150 nuts inside. These are of a dark-brown 

 colour, with a thick seed-coat of triangular shape. The 

 nuts are 2-3 times bigger than those of the Siberian cedar 

 (Pinus Cembra). In Siberia the nuts of the cedar are made 

 up of 50% of a fine, delicate, golden yellowish oil, which is 

 largely used by the local population as food. The nuts of 

 the Manchurian tree also have a fine oil, which, however, 

 is now only employed by natives and Chinese in the forest 

 districts. The gathering of Cedar nuts in Manchuria is 

 extensive and has a trade importance, but they are mostly 

 exported to China as much prized sweetmeats. 



Vegetable oil can be produced from the Manchurian nut 

 tree (Juglans manschurica Maxim) which is also common all 

 over the country (see fig. 1). The nuts of the tree are 

 big and hard and the chemical analysis made in Harbin by 

 Mr. P. M. Karwowskii in the spring of 1918 shows that the 

 kernels of this Manchurian walnut contains 52% of a drying, 

 fine oil of yellowish colour. This product resembles the oil 

 of the cultivated walnut (JugJans regia L. — in Europe, and 

 J. regia var. sinensis D. C. — in China). Up to the present, 

 walnut oil in Manchuria is unknown and is produced only by 

 Russians in the Southern part of the Ussuri provinces. It is 

 interesting to note that the nuts of the Manchurian tree are 

 of a different shape. They are mostly very thick-skinned, 

 with an elongated sharp end and have small seeds, although 

 frequently they may be seen smaller, rounder, with a fine 



