ALCOHOL FOR MOTOR POWER

Auckland Star, Volume LI, Issue 116, 15 May 1920, Page 14

ALCOHOL FOR MOTOR POWER

.■;..,.'. [ML VAI/UABLE INDIAN TBEEr The i news by cable from Melbourne tbat a satisfactory experimental flight, had. been made by an aeroplane using alcohol fuel, taken' in connection with • ■ the news forwarded earlier in the week from London regarding -a - • professor's statement that spirit could be; made from a tree in 'India named Mahua, would.appear to point to a solution of the .problem of a vegetable- substitute 3 for'benzine. - v -' '- ' '■■ «"■' •' y .:.- ".Three years''-ago,'Mr. <J. .jW.VPoynton, S.M., read a paper before the Manawatu Philosophical Society, drawing attention ' to the possibilities of the Mahua tree for- the manufacture of alcohol. This particular tree i_ grown throughput India up to an altitude of 4000 feet in the Central district. -As it will also stand slight frost it is probable Mahua would flourish north of Auckland. The Mai—(_ Hree Bears' Very large flowers of a magaolia type, the tliick petals of which contain a lot of sugar./ For this reason the tree was largely 'planted in certain districts in India, for food during: famine seasons.' As there had . beenr several' years without a scarcity ' of j other food, the result was that, some 20.000 tons " dried jpetals of Mahua ' flowers had' accumulated." These were utilised for the manufacture of alcohol, and the report in the "Times," India, was to the' effect that the experiment : proved that motor spirit could be produced from Mahua flowers at one third , ;tße coftvibf''.-pefirol." This'is of all the V, more importance, because it was made before petrol bad advanced to the present , high figure. * Seeds of tbe Mahua tree bave been imported into New Zealand 1 from' India, but unfortunately they \ ■ ■: sprouted in transit/: and therefore- did ■. ; not'grow when put in the ground. i-Tbe i seed of tbe Mahua is about two inches - in length and half an inch in diameter. It is full of oil. One variety of the 'Mahua tree furnishes from the seed, the oil used throughout India by the . natives instead' of butter.'"A Mahua *tree produces from. 100 to 250 pound '.< weight of flower petals, each year. \ The V flower being highly charged, with sugar •• aad protcid matter, is rea_y>a- highly ; nutritious food, and large quantities are consumed by ■ the natives in some . districts. . . " - -";