52 
THE TALLOW TREE OE CHINA. 
w -- 
against the twigs, removing at the same time such as are fruitless. The capsules are gently pounded 
in a mortar to loosen the seeds from their shells, from which they are separated by sifting. To facilitate 
the separation of the white sebaceous matter enveloping the seeds, they are steamed 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 an uniform 
temperature over hot ashes. A single operation does not suffice to deprive them of all their tallow, the 
steaming and sifting is 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 from 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 sufficient consistence, are placed with their rings in the press. 
This latter apparatus, of the rudest description, is constructed of two large beams placed horizon¬ 
tally, 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 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 eighty pounds each, hard, brittle, white, 
opaque, tasteless, and without the odour of animal tallow: under high pressure it scarcely stains 
bibulous paper ; melts at 140 deg. Fah. It may be regarded as nearly pure stearine, the slight differ¬ 
ence is doubtless owing to the admixture of oil expressed from the seed in the process just described. 
The seeds yield about eight per cent, of tallow, which sells for about five cents 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 covering it are 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 mashed. This machine is formed of a circular stone-groove, twelve feet in diameter, three inches 
deep, and about as many wide, into which a thick solid stone wheel, eight feet in diameter, tapering 
at the edge, is made to revolve perpendicularly 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 wedges in the manner 
above described: the process of mashing, steaming, and pressing, being repeated with the kernels like¬ 
wise. The kernels yield above thirty per cent, of oil. It is called Ising-yu, sells for about three cents 
per pound, answers well for lamps, though inferior for this purpose to some other vegetable oils in use. 
It is also employed for various purposes in the arts, and has a place in the Chinese Pharmacopoeia, 
because of its quality of changing grey hair black, and other imaginary virtues. 
Artificial illumination in China is generally procured by vegetable oils; but candles are also em¬ 
ployed by those who can afford it. In religious ceremonies no other material is used. As no one 
ventures out after dark without a lantern, and as the gods cannot be acceptably worshipped with¬ 
out candles, the quantity consumed is very great. With an unimportant exception, the candles are 
always made of what I would designate as vegetable stearine. When the candles, which are made by 
dipping, are of the required diameter, they receive a final dip into a mixture of the same material and 
insect-wax, by which their consistency is preserved in the hottest weather. They are generally 
coloured red, which is done by throwing a minute quantity of Alkanetroot {Anchusa tinctoria ), brought 
from Shantung, into the mixture. Verdigris is sometimes employed to dye them green.—D r. Mac- 
gowan : communicated to the Agricultural and Horticultural Society of India. 
