The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1885-09-02
AN OLEAGIN0US SUBJECT.
INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT RARE
AND CURIOUS OILS.
Oil Extracted From n Central Amer.
lean Insect Oils From hirds ana
q (rOrnfltIr,s Fail,

-N AND CURIOUS OILS.
oil Extracted From II Central Amer.
lean Insect Oils From birds ana
n CrO:OtiIr,s Fail.
A resident of this city who has pen
Chant for collecting rare and curious
commercial products has among his co..
lection many specimens OF oils OF pccu-
liar production which are in use IN va
rious countries, and which, while enter
ing largely into the domestic economy
and business importance of those coun-
tries. arc but little known, If at all, IN the
United States. The collector exhibited
and described some Of these curious oils
to the writer 4 few days ago.
"lIcrc is an OIL" said he, holding up
to the light Il small vial containing a
rich. bright yellow liquid. (which can.
not but become valuable article or
general commerce as soon as It's qualities
arc better known. 1t is extracted from
an insect which abounds in Central
America, the name of which is min. Nat
uralists have given it the name of Coccus
Adipolcra. 1t feeds on the sap OF
rcsinons plant OF the spondlas
family, ana its numbers in any
locality are only limited to the extent
to which ,his plant is founi. The I'M
po,tance of the insect in the domestic
trade of Central America is recognized
bv the extensive cultivation ofthc partlcu-
lar plant upon which lis existence dc
pends. This cultivation is made easy
bv the fact that cutting from any part
of Il growing plant inserted in the soil,
no matter where. at once takes root ana
grows rapidly to maturity. The MIN
follows quickly on the development OF
its favortc feeding resources, and the
plants are completely covered in every
part with the insects during the breeding
season from the ground up. They hang
to the plant by long bcak or proboscis,
which they insert in the stalk and
branches. giving the plant the appearance
of being driven full of peculiarly shaped
tacks. The min is about the size OF our
rose bug, and nearly onc.thlrd of its
bulk is pure oil. The natives gather the
bugs in cloths, or cut the plants and
carry thclu with their thousands OF insects
attached to the extracting places. The
oil is extracted both by boiling in close
vessels and by pressure. The result Is Il
thick, pasty grease, resembling lard eN-
cept in color. 1t requires high tenn
pcraturc to melt it to liquid. The
melting process changes its entire char
acter. 1t is at first Homogeneous, like
castor oil, but dark-colored. As it cools
it becomes light in color and granular.
1t will not soiidify under temperature
of ten degrees. 1t then becomes
brittle, like suet. A peculiarly
of the oil is that it is not soluble in alco-
hol. 1t yields readily to ether, hot or
cold, when it forms an oily liquid, such
as YOU see in this vial. That is the ether
solution of min oil. 1t is soluble IN tur-
pentine, bcnzinc and chloroform. The
turpcntine solution possesses qualities
which should be OF rare value in the
mixing of delicate oil coloTs. The com,
position of min oil is such that it will
saponify only after long and continuous
boiling in the strongest soda lyc.
Min oil also has high value as a
varnish prtlucer. Melted in porcelain
vessel and the fluid kept at high and
even temperature for an hour or so, dur
ing which time certain volatile proper
ties disappear, tough, flexible, varnlsh
like residue is the result. 1t is but
slightly affected by high degree OF heat
or low degree of cold. 1t is not solu-
bic in turpcn,inc but ignitcd with tur-
pentinc it yields thick, yellow gum
an olcorcsin in act-which closely re.
scmb.cs u solution of India rubber. 1t
will retain semi-tuid condition Tor
days, and its adhesive properties are re-
markabic. The turpcntinc solution of
min oil, run out in vessels to the depth
of the sixteenth of an inch, is changed
into Il solution varnish which is almost
equal to shellac, andj becomes very hard
and elastic by exposure for day or two
to the air. The most porous filter paper
is rendered absolutely impcrvious to
water when dipped in the turpentine So
luton of min oil and then subjected TO
heat to volatilize the grease. Garments
treated in the same manner are most cl-
fectually watcrproolcd, the coating de-
flying most powerful solvents of oils.
"This Gil has not been applied to any
practical use as yet except 10y the natives,
principally the Indians and mestizoes of
the Yucatan peninsula, who use large
quantities of it in mixing the pigments
they employ in household decoration
and personal adornmcnt. The particular
brightness and transparency Of the colors
produced by these inferior pigments in
the han,ls of primitive artists arc due to
the use of this oil. 1t IS used generally
as a driving oil in other parts OF Central
America, the turpent.nc solution being
a superior mixture for that purpose. Its
introduction among artists would be OF
great value to them. but its commercial
Importance will eventually be particu-
larry recognized in the properties which
produce the rcSinous waterproof rarnlsh.
'IIerc is IN oil which is something of
a curio ,ity," said the collector, showing
the rcportcra liquid of remarkable trans
parcncy and almost colorlcss. "lt is
ruacharo oil from Ecuador. And what
do YOU think it was made from? That
bottle contains all that is left of two
of the young Of the oil bird, or Trim
idaa goat sucker or might better say
that the fluid is two of the great suckers
Young, for what was left of them
after this oil was tried out of them
isn't worth speaking about. The goat
sucker is Il nocturnal bird, something
like our whipporwill, except that it lives
in the deep, dark cavcrns that abound
in Ecuador, Venezuela, Ncw-Granada,
Trinidad, and other South American re-
gions, and that its diet consists entirely
Of the abundant olcagnous Diet of those
countries. 4 few days after the young
are hatchcl they become literally balls
of fat, and are described rs being the
most curious looking creatures imagin-
able. The Indians invade the caves at
the proper sea on, which is about this
time of the year, and by the light of
torches discover the nests and knock
them down with long poles, the birds
constructing their Matching place high
above the reach of depredating animals.
When the fat is removed from the young
birds there is scarcely anything left but
their tiny skeletons. The fat is boiled
down at once, fires being made at the
mouth of the cavcrns as soon as the raids
on their nests are over. The oil is run
into earthcn jars. it requires no further
publication or refining, as It's natural
state is purity itself. 1t is limpid as you
sec it here. It's used both for cooking
and illuminating purposes, and has been
pronounced superior to olive oil. 1t
burns in 4 wick with white flame,
which vmits no smoke. Even with the
careless methods of the natives the oil
will keep sweet year.
"This." bottle of thick, muddy
grease, lis crude penguin oil. Vessels
and crews are sent to Patagonia from
England for the express purpose of taking
species CT penguin, or manchot, which
swarms on thar far. away coast. The
capture of the unwicdy birds is easy, and
from their exclusive fish diet they arc de-
scritcd rs 'rccking with oil The oil is
extracted on the hunting grounds, and Il
cargo of 10000 gallons is frequently
taken back on a single vessel. Penguin
oil is used as dressing for fine leather.