Rensselaer Republican, Volume 17, Number 21, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 29 January 1885 — Pure Olive Oil. [ARTICLE]

Pure Olive Oil.

Absolutely pure olive oilisa commodity seldom found in this country, so great is the temptation of manufacturers to adulterate with cottou-seed oily which resemblfes the other very closely in some respects, and which is so much cheaper. To get the absolutely pure, therefore, is information that many would like to have. In reply, therefore, to a query, made through these columns some months since, we would say that we know of but one place, and that is Cannon’s Point, St. Simons Island, of Mr. W. F. Shadman, who has the only olive grove in this country where the oil is manufactured. There are a few trees at Dungenness, or Cumberland Island, and elsewhere. Mr. Shadman has 160 full bearing trees, and will make this season between 100 rmd 200 gallons of unadulterated material in three grades, pure, merchantable, and crude. From him we learn the process of manufacture, which may be interesting to some of our readers. The olives, which are about the size of plums, are first gathered and passed through a mill which crushes the berry but not the kernel. This pulp is placed in small crocus bags, which are dampened with cold water and kneaded like bread on an inclined table with trough attached; The water washes out the oil and both drain into the trough. The oil being lighter floats, and is skimmed off and filtered. This makes the first quality, which sells from §8 to $lO per gallon. The same process is gone through with warm or tepid water, which yields a second grade of oil, almost' twice the quantity of the first, and is sold at from $5 to $6 per gallon. A third washing or kneading in warmer water still, brings out the crude oil, in quantity, equal to the first, and vrhich sells at from $2.50 to $3,50 per gallon. The proportion is 25 per cent, pure, 50 medium or merchantable, and 25 crude. Mr. Shadman has been experimenting for several years to find out just how to get out this oil and has at last found that washing is the only process which all the oil can be extracted. The pure oil, of which we have a sample before ns, which is delightful in flavor, and will keep perfectly sweet for a century or more. The other grades, being less pure, in course of time become rancid. This grove of Mr. Shadman’s was planted nearly a century ago by Hon. James Hamilton Couper, the father of Mr. J. M. Conper. The young trees were secured for Mr. Couper in Spain by the then minister to Spain from the United States. The trees are still vigorous and in fine bearing order. —Brunswick ( Ga .) Ajipeal.