420 



CANDLE NUTS. 



the Marine distributed them to several mamifacturers of oil, in order 

 to experiment on them in their factories. The following is the com- 

 position of the oilcake : 



Water 10-25 



Oil 5-50 



Nitrogenous substances 47 "81 



Non-nitrogenous substances 24 '04 



Phosphoric acid 3-68 1 



Potash 1-53 [ 12-40 



Magnesia, lime, silica, &c. .. 7*19 j 



100-00 



In its normal state it contains : 



Nitrogen 7-65 per cent. 



This analysis shows that the cake is rich in nitrogen and in phos- 

 phates. It would be still more so if it did not contain a certain 

 quantity of the remains of the shells, which could not be completely 

 separated from the kernels. Monsieur Ed. Nay obtained from the 

 kernels 55 to 57 per cent, of oil, 40 to 41 per cent, of cake. From 

 these results, it must be admitted that the cake which is manufac- 

 tured from perfectly shelled seeds might contain up to 9 per cent, of 

 nitrogen, and 4 per cent, of phosphoric acid. It would therefore be 

 a good manure of great value, superior even to ground-nut cake. It 

 is not good for cattle food ; at least, it must be supposed so. The 

 oil expressed from the kernels is purgative, and could not therefore 

 serve for alimentation. For lighting purposes it is superior to colza 

 oil, and can be bm'nt without undergoing purification. A simple 

 filtration suffices to render it clear and limpid.* It also appears that 

 this oil is very siccative, for when applied in layers on the hull of a 

 ship it preserves it for a long time from every kind of change. Some 

 interesting experiments were made for this purpose on some men-of-war 

 in Cochin China and at Guiana. Unfortunately the hard shell of the 

 candle nut presents great difficulties. This nut only contains 33 per 

 cent, of kernel. The remainder is the hard shell, which is probably 

 useless. It therefore results that on account of the high price of 

 freight from the places of production it cannot be imported whole. 

 The shelling must be performed before its shipment. According to 

 the experiments made by Monsieur Ed. Nay, this husking is a very 

 laborious operation, on account of the excessive hardness of the shell ; 

 nevertheless, it may suffice to make known the interest which attaches 

 to this question to excite the emulation of inventors. He who con- 

 structs a simple, cheap apparatus, which can be transported to the 

 colonies, to perform the desired work, will probably make a good 

 thing of it and render a signal service to commerce. 



A larger quantity of oil is obtained from the nut, and with much 

 less difficulty, if, after the reduction of the kernels into a coarse 

 powder, by means of a pestle and mortar, roller, or hand-mill, they 

 are submitted to a low heat. For this purpose a water bath is used, 

 care being taken to constantly stir the powder with a wooden spatula, 



* The Nukuhivians light their huts with the very oily candle nnt (^Aieurites triloba), 

 threaded on a skewer, which does not give them much trouble. 



