The evening times., 1900-03-17

ROBERT L. SKINNER, COnSui 10 AdioeiileS'
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 Marseilles than in any
other trade centre in Europe. After 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 fourishing. 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-
tions are favorable, but not TO the eXclu-
sion of other seeds.
"A considerable quantity of West Afri-
can nuts of high grade is crushed at Bor-
deauX, and there are some mills in the
north of France. Marseilles 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.
Such a process produces an inferior quail
ty of oil, and a cake of little value. In
fact many of the nuts arrive in decortI-
Gated state after which the inner, or red,
skin is removed as much as possible by
system of scrapers and winnowers. Parti-
cles of the inner skin will cling TO ihe
kernel under all circumstances and can De
plainly seen in the cake. The greatest
pains are taken with edible oil. For this,
the nuts are commonly received unshelled
at the mill and there decorticated by
special apparatus in conjunction with VI
brating and Ventilating machinery, the
process somewhat resembling the wheat
cleaning operations in -four mills.
The husking of the peanuts is perform
ed by a pair Of grOOved rollers adjustable
in order that the space between them may
be increased or diminished according 10
the approximate average size of the nuts
to be husked The rotation OF these roll
ers Is quite rapid and the ridges of one OF
the rollers fit into the centre Of the grooves
of the other roller. In this first process
the husks are completely crushed, and
good many of the kernels are also split.
This broken mass OF husks and kernels Is
then separated by means OF air currents.
similar II the winnowinE process applied
to wheat in -four mills.
Now. il the peanuts used are OF old
crop. the kernel is likely 10 be dry. and the
light. inner red skin of the nut becomes
detached In the first husking process.
large propurtion OF it is removed in the
first ventilator and nearly all Of that
which still adheres to the kernel is re
moved by the following process:
~"The kernels are passed over rapidly
Cscillating sieve. the coarse wired meshes
cracking this red skin. which latter IS
then drawn of by another ventilatiDg ma
chine | cannot give The full details Of
the cleaning process Of the mass which
emerges from the grooved rollers; but my
informant assures me that no specially
constructed machinery Is employed FOR this
purpose. the whole work being executed
by combination OF oscillating sieyes and
strong air currents.
IF the peanuts are OF new crop. il is
most difficult to remove the red skin en-
tirely. as in this case il adheres quite firm
Iy to the kernel and thus the Kernels OF
new-cIop nuts generally go under the
presses with the greater part OF the led
skin still adhering 10 them. In order 10
more thoroughly cleanse the kernels be
fore they are prepared for the presses,
the new-crop nuts undergo the same pro-
cess as the old-crop nuts.
when the kernels have been separated
and cleaned they are ground, preparatory
to being pressed. The pressing takes place
in the same manner in which other Cleagi-
nous seeds are pressed. the meal being en-
yeloped in strong fibrous mats and sub
iected 10 hydraulic pressure. The result
ing cake is then reground, the oil remain
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 fl-
tiers. and the bleaching tif it may be term
ed thusl is done by the admiXture of so
called .'terre a fouIon'' tfullers EARTH a
highly porous mineral substance. The oil
which is to be treated is poured into large
watts and certain quantity of terra q fou-
Ion is added The whole is mechanically
stirred for some time, and then allowed
/ TO rest for a certain period. during which
the 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 (alsO
! ground) they form an inferior grade of
! cattle feed About the only animals TO
/ which they can be fed without admiXture
I are goats When coal prices are very
/ high. a number of crushers employ the
! husks as fuel. Crushers prefer TO use lew
! crcp nuts despite the 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 it
. DflSnl NSllON- ~ plbdNNe q NdNSi hAtt
! oil-as in the case of all other oils-it
must be bleached. This is done by treat
/ ing it with animal black and fullers earth.
/ 1t is contended that no alkaline lye is used,
! but the art is somewhat secret Large
! quantities are thus bleached. Superfine
! peanut oil is considered brighter than
/ American prime summer yellow cotton
/ seed oil being yellow, with a slightly
! greenish tint"