Tung Tree
p. 47 · Read in the full issue
Pacific Varieties Of
“Candlenut” and Its Relations
From a Special Correspondent in Samoa.
THERE are to be found growing in the rich humus soils of many of the larger or volcanic islands of the South Seas, several indigenous varieties of what is called the Tung Oil tree. They are better known as Candle-Nuts by the whites, and as “Lama” by the Poly nesians. These trees bear huge annual crops of Tung nuts, rich in oil— some authorities quote the oil content as 60 per cent.
The whites, as a rule, do not know much about this useful tree, but the Islands natives use the “Lama” for their tattooing; for siapo, or tapa-making; for torches; and the extracted oil for various purposes. In flavour, the Tung nuts are quite agreeable; but in action, strongly purging.
The sturdy varieties of Aleurites, such as A. Triloba, A. Trisperma, reach the size of forest trees. These have many names, such as Candle Nuts, Ban-Kul, and Balucanag nuts. The range is from the Pacific to Hong-Kong, where the writer once observed Chinese cracking the Tung nuts singly, on a stone, in order to crush them for the oil. This is the Pacific Islands modus operandi for Tung nuts.
The varieties, A. Fordii and A. Mon tana, are being grown in a small way in some islands of the Pacific. But these two require delicate handling, to succeed.
Firstly, they do not transplant (as with cacao and rubber) in the hands of the novice or inexperienced planter. Then, too, a form of mulch (litter or leaves) banana-trash, etc., should be used as a soil covering around the roots. Perhaps Tung seed is best planted at stake—that is, where the trees are to grow. Allow 15 feet each way for varieties such as A. Cordata, Fordii, Montana; and 35 feet each way for the Islands varieties of Tung tree. Although the Tung tree gives a few specimens of its fruit in about three years after planting, seven years must be allowed before a crop is matured, except in the case of Islands sorts, which bear a good crop in the fourth year.
It is said that the Tung Oil of the Pacific Islands is of better quality than the Chinese product, which is more often than not, adulterated with “Alice same Tung.”
If the “P.I.M.” would like to offer its readers seed for planting of Islands varieties of the Tung tree, I should be happy to secure fresh seed here and for ward same to Sydney, for the cost of transport and packing only.