The evening times., 1900-03-17

Robert p. Skinner. Consul to Marseilles.
has written to the Department Of State re-
specting the peanut oil industry as fol-
lows:
More oil is extracted from OleaginOus
seeds in the city Of MarseiIes than in any
other trade centre in Europe. After a pc
riOd OF depression resulting from the in
PRODUCTION Of American cotton oil and fail
ure OF seed crops elsewhere, the trade
seems again to be hourishing. The crush
ing Of peanuts constitutes one Of the most
important branches Of the industry. As
there Is no special machinery or process
involved in the manufacture Of peanut oil
not also required for other oil-seeds most
OF the resident manufacturers crush arach-
ides or peanuts when the market cOndi-
tloas are favorable, but not 70 the exclu-
sion Of other seeds.
considerable quantity Of West Afri-
can nuts OF high grade is crushed at Bor-
ueauN, and there are some mills In the
north OF France. MarseilIes is pre-emI-
nent in the industry. however the ap-
pended list mentioning the capacity Of the
various local crushers.
Peanuts are scarcely ever ground whole
sa-irA 81 IA AAtG5 lIUAlEtS an INFERIOR 0A al
" OF oil, and a cake OF little value In
fact many Of the nuts arrive in a decorti-
Gated state. after which the inner, or red
skin Is removed as much as possible by z
system OF scrapers and winnowers. Parti-
cles Of the inner skin Will cling TO the
kernel under all circumstances and can Ja
plainly seen in the cake. The creates,
pains are taken with edible oil. For thls
the nuts are commonly received unshelled
"A hn mi
special apparatus in conjunction with VI
brating and ver ulating machinery. the
process somewhat resembling the wheat
cleaning operations in -four mills.
The husking Of the peanuts is perform
ed by pair u grooved rollers adjustable
in order that the space between them may
be increased or diminished according 90
the approximate average size Of the nuts
to be husked. The rotation cf these roll
ers is quite rapid and the ridges Of one OF
the rollers fit into the centre ~ tee grooves
Of the other roller. In this h.St process
the husSs are completely crushed, and q
good many Of the kernels are also spiit
This broken mass OF husks and kernels is
then separated by means OF air currents
similar % the winncWing process applied
20 wheat IN -four mills
Now. f the peanuts used are OF old
crop. the kernel is likely 10 be dry. and the
detached In The first husking pru eSs.
large proportion of &c is remov d in the
first venulator. and nearly all OF that
which sin adheres O. the kernel Is re-
moved by the follow.JP process:
-"The kernels are - Eafd over a rapidly
osciilatiug sieve. a. vJsFse-wired meshas
cracking this red skin. which latter IS
then drawn Of by another ventiiating ma
chine ] cannot give The full details Of
tho cleaning o. rf hH rrfr rnH
emergeS from the g-ooved rollers. but my
Informant assures me thai no specially
constructed machinery is employed fOr this
purpose the whole work being executed
by combination OF OscillaJing siCves and
strong air currents.
If the peanuts are o. new crop. DO is
most difficult 20 remove the red sain en-
tirely. as in "a s case it adheres quite firm
ly 20 the kernel and thus the kernels OF
ucw-Clop nuts generally 90 under the
D-"sSes with the greater part OF the Ied
skin stll adhe-ing 90 them. Ia order 90
more thoroughly cleanse the kernels be-
fore they are prepared Tor the presses.
the new-crop nuts undergo the same pro-
cess as the old-crOp nuts.
When the kern, Is have been separated
nd cleaned they are ground preparatory
90 being pressed. The pressing 'akes place
in the same manner u which other claagi-
nous seeds are pressed, the meal being en-
yeIopei In strong hhrous mats and sub
jected 90 hydraulic pressure. The esult-
ing cake is then reCround, the oil main
ing in the meal secured as IN the first in
stance. The oil is graded according to
first. second, or third extraction.
The clarifying Is done by means Of fill
ters. and the bleaching az it may be term
ed thusl is done by the admixture If so-
called "tcrre fOulJu' tfuller's EARTH. a
highly porous mineral substance. The oil
which is 20 be treated is poured into large
was and a certain quau-ity Of terra q fou-
ion IS added. The whole is mechanically
s, Tired for some time. and then allowed
to rest fO- cerJaiu period curing which
Ire cOlOring particles contained in the oil
are absorbed by the pores of the mineral.
The husks are OF little or no value.
When ground and mixed with cake lalso
grOuud) they form az inferior grade OF
cattle feed. About the only animals 10
which they can be fed without admixture
are goats. When coal prices are .ery
hiEh, number Of crushers employ the
husks as fuel. Crushers prefer to use few
cTCp nuts (despit' me fact that the prod
uct is often inferior TO old-crop oiD as
they extract more oil from them. Decor
ticated nuts should average 81 per cent OF
their weight in oil.
Crude peanut oil runs out thick and
troubled. and must be filtered to make il
bright yellow. To prp.uce a water-white
oil-as in the case Of all other oils-it
must be bleached. This is done BY treat
ing ii with animal black and fuller's earth
II is contended that no alkaline I've is used.
but the art is somewhat secret Large
quantities are thus bleached Superfne
peanut oil is considered brighter than
American prime summer yellow cotton
seed oil. being yellow. with a slightly
int