206 THE COCO-NUT 



CHAP. VI 



may be squeezed both times after a preliminary beating 

 to facilitate the removal of the oil. Oil expressed cold 

 is as a rule of better quality, and oil destined for use 

 as food is usually secured in this manner. After the oil 

 is expressed it is permitted to separate by standing. 

 The upper layers, usually cold enough to be solid in 

 consistency, are then removed, and the residue is again 

 treated to secure the remaining oil of poorer quality. 

 The best mills in Europe sometimes succeed in 

 extracting more than 70 per cent of oil from the 

 copra used. This demands not merely very complete 

 extraction but also that the copra used should have 

 contained very little water. With most of the copra 

 marketed it is impossible by the most perfect treatment 

 to secure more than 65 to 67 per cent of oil. 



