348 THE GROUND-NUT AND ITS OIL. 



The crude oil, No. 1, when refined, gave 4 oz. fine oil, pale colour, 

 and very sweet, sp. gr. '908. 



The crude oil, No. 2, refined, gave 2J oz. fine oil, dark colour, with 

 some empyreumatic smell, sp.gr. - 918. 



Wood Oil. — This oil is a brownish yellow limpid oil, with a consi- 

 derable deposit and sediment — density '982. ' The true source of some 

 of these wood oils is not well defined. According to Roxburgh they are 

 the product of Dipterocarpus turbinatus, ittccmiis, alatus, and contatus. 



In the Journal de Pharmacie, Sept, 1856, M. Guibourt published an 

 interesting account of this oil. These wood oils, when held between 

 the eye and the light appear transparent, and more or less red ; viewed 

 by reflection, they are opaque, and of a greenish brown tint. Dr. 

 O'Shaughnessy recommended wood oil as a substitute for balsam of 

 capivi, and Mr. Hanbury has since drawn attention to its medicinal use 

 in the t Pharmaceutical Journal.' 



This tree is known in the Straits under the name of Pune. It is 

 exceedingly plentiful, and is admirably adapted for masts and spars, as 

 such it is much employed in the above localities The Siamese and 

 Cambodians, however, use the tree for a different purpose, that is for the 

 production of the oil, commonly known under the name of " wood oil." 

 It is a drying oil, and used for caulking and varnishing vessels, and the 

 manufacture of the torches so generally used by the Siamese. The 

 method of extracting the oil is to make a deep incision in the trunk of 

 the tree, a few feet from its base, in this a fire is kindled, and allowed to 

 burn for some time, after which it is cleared out. The oil then com- 

 mences to drop into the incision, which serves as a receptacle. T 1 

 mean yield of the best trees is 80 to 90 gallons. 



THE GROUND-NUT AND ITS OIL. 



The plant which produces this fruit, entering into commerce under the 

 popular name of the ground-nut is a little annual, with oblong leaves, 

 growing in fours, and rather large yellow flowers, rising a little way 

 above ground. Botanists call it Arachis hypogcea. The plant is one of 

 a class which bury their pods in the earth where they ripen, instead of 

 raising them into the free air. In order to effect this, the flower-stalk, 

 after the flower has passed away, gradually curves downwards, and at 

 length forces its end perpendicularly into the soil, along with the very 

 young pod which is seated there. Having buried itself sufficiently deep, 

 the pod then begins to sweU, and when ripe becomes an oblong, rugged, 

 pale brown fruit, containing about two seeds, as large as the kernel of a 

 hazel-nut. Such pods are common in collections of unusual fruits ; the 



