ON THE TALLOW TilEE, ETC. 35 



veloping the seeds, they are strained in tubs, having convex open wicker 

 bottoms, placed over cauldrons of boiling water. When thoroughly- 

 heated, they are reduced to a mash in the mortar, and thence transferred 

 to bamboo sieves, kept at a uniform temperature over hot ashes. A 

 single operation does not suffice to deprive them of their tallow ; the 

 steaming and sifting are, therefore repeated. The article thus procured 

 becomes a solid mass on falling through the sieve ; and to purify it, it is 

 melted and formed into cakes for the press. These receive their form 

 in bamboo hoops, a foot in diameter, and three inches deep, which are 

 laid on the ground over a little straw. 



On being filled with the hot liquid, the ends of the straw beneath 

 are drawn up and spread over *the top, and when of a sufficient con- 

 sistence, are placed with their rings in the press. This apparatus, which 

 is of the rudest description, is constructed of two large beams placed 

 horizontally so as to form a trough capable of containing about fifty 

 of the rings with their sebaceous cakes ; at one end it is closed, and at 

 the other it is adapted for receiving wedges, which are successively 

 driven into it by ponderous sledge hammers wielded by athletic men. 

 The tallow oozes in a melted state into a receptacle below, where it 

 cools. It is again melted and poured into tubs smeared with mud to 

 prevent its adhering. It is now marketable, in masses of about 80 lbs. 

 each, hard, brittle, white, opaque, tasteless, and without the odour of 

 animal tallow. 



Under high pressure it scarcely stains bibulous paper ; melts at 

 104 deg. Fahr. It may be regarded as almost pure stearine ; the slight 

 difference is doubtless owing to the admixture of oil expressed from the 

 seed in the process just described. The seeds yield about 8 per cent, of 

 tallow, which sells at 2^d. per pound. 



The process for pressing the oil which is carried on at the same time 

 remains to be noticed ; it is contained in the kernel of the nut, the 

 sebaceous matter, which lies between the shell and the husk, having 

 been removed in the manner described. The kernel and the husk cover- 

 ing it is ground between two stones, which are heated, to prevent clogging 

 from the sebaceous matter still adhering. The mass is then placed in 

 a winnowing machine, precisely like those in use in western countries. 

 The chaff being separated, exposes the white oleaginous kernels, which 

 after being steamed are placed in a mill to be washed. This machine is 

 formed of a circular stone groove, twelve feet in diameter, three inches 

 deep, and about as many wide, iuto which a thick solid stone, 

 8 feet in diameter, tapering at the edge, is made to revolve perpen- 

 dicularly by an ox harnessed to the outer end of its axle, the inner 

 turning on a pivot in the centre of the machine. Under this ponderous 

 weight the seeds are reduced to a mealy state, steamed in the tubs, 

 formed into cakes, and pressed by w<?dges in the manner above de- 

 scribed ; the process of washing, steaming, and pressing, being repeated 

 with the kernels likewise. 



