Show tung oil used for centuries in orient before western world knew of its value tung oil was used for or centuries ien in the orient to waterproof wood paper and cloth before the western world became aware of its value by 1622 1922 however the united states was importing pounds of tung on oil the next year the figure rose to nearly pounds va valued lu edat at and constituting 85 per cent of china export of thecil the oil in 1928 pounds were imported and by 1936 annual consumption was pounds in addition to its primary use in paint manufacturing notes a correspondent spon dent in the new york herald tribune tung on oil was adapted to other industries in insulating compounds poun ds brake linings and gaskets on pumps and engines but the conditions of the trade in china were such as to hinder further expansion andio and to cause anxiety to american consumers production of tung oil in china is a comparatively simple process with proper climatic conditions for they are susceptible to spring frosts tung yiu trees require little care after reaching maturity the fruit brown and the size and shape of a small apple when ripe ri pecan can be picked from the ground and husked by hand the seeds are ground gr oun d heated ana and pressed and the on oil strained out with no elaborate machinery being used the chinese in austry tends tend to bi be scattered among many small producers these factors make standardization odthe of the quality of the oil difficult and militate against improvement of the culture of the trees adulteration of tung oil with inferior vegetable oils is common attempts have been made to induce the growers to snip ship the seeds to some soma central spot where they can be process processed edby by modern methods but without much success |