CHINA WOOD OIL.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 17 August 1928, Page 9

CHINA WOOD OIL.

TO BE ritODUC’ED IN NEW ZIiAEAiNJJ. USE EOlt PCOil GUWI LANDS. Despised anil miscalled , ' poor gum hums or Northern Aucnlanu are to have a fair trial nr the growing m a jjl oUllot IiCW I/O Lilt; J_>olllUlloll — tile WOUu In tree or China. The »anetj amurices u ordii lias been grown m ti.e v. luted states, ana it is it great 1111pro. emeuL in vitality and produAii ic,> tne original species native to the _icat pro. nice of specimen in centra, with tins improved seed some acres or land or a. total 01 k'iiO'd acquired, will be planted 111 North Aue.vianet by a syndicate which has already obtained all the capital necessary ,U,- Uie venture, and will not require t_, call upon the public. Sod, climate aim other conditions for tile growth or me tree are said to be exceedingly favourable in North .Auckland. From Mr J. i". \\ ard, who has had long experience of the China wood, or tuiig oil, in China .itselr it is learned that mns essential commodity formerly produced only m Cliina, is now being raised in the" United States, but nowhere, sj far as lie is aware, in the British

. inpile. The oil extracted from the sotv.s is ,aii indispensible ingredient in the produtcion of the finest varnishes, linoleums, artificial leathers, and many oilier products. The latest developments in mtro-cellulose lacquers call its use in conjunction with hard gums, and opens a way lor a recovery ot the Kauri gum industry. . China wood oil and kauri gum are admittedly the two nncst raw materials known tor all classes of protective coverings. The value oi the wood oil may be gauged from the lact that the proper species—the aleurites Fordii —which is not to be con- , used with aleurites cordata —may be gauged from the fact that from 1000 acres the return would be £la ,000, for the oil, potash and pomase. Of this return about 50 per cent, would go to the producer. The return was based on an average of the lowest prices for tung oil for the past ten years. There were about 1000 fruit to eacli tree and ,jj trees to the acre. Seedlings which must be strong before planting out and attain three ieet in height, would be transplanted into groves. The first ,ruit appears in the fourth year of painting and the tree is in full bearing in from seven to ten years. A large territorv has been planted in Florida and Great Britain is now keenly interested in supplies being made available mi the British Empire. Jl,- Ward established a large crushin <>• and refining plant for this oil close to" Hankow, but the Chinese in power sought to nationalise the enteipiise. lliuc wished him to continue manufacturin'' in the national .interest, but he declined. He does not minimise in the least the serious effects of Soviet propaganda amfing the Chinese, and its ban ©nil influence upon British trade and institutions in China which are as tbev always have been, in the best interests of the Chinese themselves. Beverting to the tung oil tree, Mr Ward said it was most necessary that tbe true aleurites Fordii should be planted. The Chinese themselves had no scientific data! on the subject, but such was obtainable from the university in Hong Kong, only it related to llic species aleurites cordata, tli© species grp wing m the South of China, producing an inferior grade of oil. Aleurites cordata has been planted in ,\ c w Zealand, and was growing satisfactorily; but it would be well to root it out, as when the superior species | aleurites Fordii, is grown later, pollination may occur and impair the product. The only other species that should be allowed to come in is aleurites moil tan a . which closely approximates Fordii as regards the value oi its products, but is much more prolific when established. Unfortunately it is not so hardy as the Fordii, and requires a warmer climate. The so-call-cd Holin' Kong oil was extracted from A. cordata, and the finer quality called Hankow oil, from A. Fordii. If the In Infer 'grade is to be produced m New Zealand and the standard maintained t’leu there should be no facilities afforded for mixing the two oils, as was done in China. Tt was most important that tbe high grade should be kept up. . Ysked as to crushing and refining the oils. Mr Ward said he had his own patented processes which were applied to manufacture in China. But as soon as the industry was started as soon as the production of the trees was assured, there would be no difficulty at all in obtaining out of New Zealand all the capital necessary for deal-i-nrr with the product of the trees.