TALLOW TREE. 
177 
The tree producing tallow* Croton sebiferum of Linnaeus, was one of 
the largest, the most beautiful, and the most widely diffused, of the 
plants found by us in China. W e first met with it a few miles south of 
Nankin, and continued to remark it, in greater or less abundance, till 
our arrival at Canton.* We often saw it, imitating the oak in the 
height of its stem and the spread of its branches. Its foliage has the 
green and lustre of the laurel. Its small flowers, of a yellow colour, 
are borne at the ends of its terminal branches. Clusters of dark 
coloured seed vessels succeed them in autumn ; and, when matured, 
burst asunder and disclose seeds of a delicate whiteness. 
The fruit of the tallow tree goes through nearly the same process in 
yielding its extract as the seed of the oil plant. The machine in 
which it was seen to be bruised, differed indeed from those employed 
for pounding the seed of the Camellia ; but was, no doubt, often used 
for both purposes. It was ground by a wheel moved backwards and 
forwards in a trunk of a tree, shaped like a canoe, lined with iron, and 
fixed in the ground. To the axis of the wheel was fixed a long pole, 
laden with a heavy weight, and suspended from a beam, in the way 
illustrated by the wood engraving. 
* The tallow tree has many names in China; amongst others, Ya-Rieou, because 
crows are fond of its fruit ; Ya being the character which signifies a crow; the other 
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