6o 



^ 



fHE 



TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. [Makch i, 1887. 



and handy specimens where a large collection is got 

 together, no size can be better than that adopted 

 by the Indian Forest Department in the fine set 

 of^woods sent by them to the Paris Exhibition in 

 1878, a duplicate set of which is now in the Kew 

 Museum. These measure 9 inches high by 6 inches 

 wide and 2 inches thick: they lend themselves 

 wonderfully well for any kind of arrangement. On 

 a staging, for instance, they can be placed one above 

 another without loss of space ; and in the glazed 

 cases of a museum, they suit almost any shelf; 

 moreover, they are convenient for handling for ex- 

 amination. AYith regard to numbering, woods should 

 always be stamped on the backs, and never on their 

 faces. It often takes a considerable amount of 

 planing to remove them. But to return to the Ceylon 

 woods. In not''cing the little work which has given 

 rise to these remarks, a fitting opportunity seems 

 also to occur to bring to more general notice some few 

 of the most striking, or important out of the 

 ninety-six different kinds mentioned in the book. 

 [Then follow notices of our chief timbers.— Ed.] 



The few woods here indicated recommend them- 

 selves to notice on account of their fine colour or 

 figure. From specimens of all of them contained 

 in the Kew Museum, they would appear to be well 

 worthy of a more extended application. They are 

 referred to here as only a few instances of the 

 general character of Cingalese woods which require 

 to be more known to be appreciated.— /ojo-ftrtZ of 

 Forestri/, 



■ 4, 



MAIZE OIL. 



A paper on this oil was read by Dr. C. O. Curtman 

 before the Missouri State Pharmaceutical Association, 

 in which we have further particulars. The oil is 

 made largely by the Woodchande MilliuR Company, 

 St. Louis. The amount of oil obtained by pressure 

 from the embryo varies from 1.3 to 15 per cent. 

 The following notes by Dr. Curtman, which we abstract 

 from the Pharmaceutical Record, though agreeing 

 generally with the conclusion of Mr. Shuttleworth 

 (published in this Journal, p. 47 of current volume) 

 differ in some respects, while fuller particulars are 

 given on other points : — 



The crude oil, as first expressed, is somewhat turbid 

 and of a pa'e browaish yellow colour. It is easily 

 rendered clear by filtration, or by letting it stand at 

 rest for some weeks, and drawing off the clear oil 

 on top from the impurities which have subsided. 



Its average specific gravity is 0916. The extremes, 

 thus far observed, were 0-915 and 0017. Maize oil 

 has the peculiar flavour of freshly ground corn meal. 

 This becopes fainter by age and may be removed 

 to a considerable extent by rectification processes. Its 

 taste _ is bland and of agreeable sweetness, with a 

 bitterish after-taste, which increases somewhat with 

 jige, but may be entirely removed by purification. It 

 does not very readily become rancid, when carefully 

 kept, in this respect resembling benne oil. It does 

 Mot dry like linseed oil. Portions left adhering to the 

 outside of the vessel, from which it ha.§ been poured, 

 have not becotne pasty nor rancid ia twelve months. 



In some of its general propertips it stands inter- 

 iljtid iatfi between ollv'e oil and oil of sweet almonds 

 lut approaches nearest to the olivs oil. It contains 

 a large proportion of oleine^ a ooirlpouad of oleic 

 acid and glycerine, 



With Pontet'e reagent (strong nitric acid in which 

 a little mercU.ry has been dissolved), it forms an 

 abundance of elaiditie, so as to become nearly as 

 soUd as olive oil. Treated f^itti^ mercuric nitrate in 

 the usual way, it yields a fine citrlno ointment. With 

 strong nitric acid it speedily turns a dark reddish 

 brown, a reaction which is obtained still more rapidly 

 and intensely by using a mixture of strong sulphuric 

 and nitric acids. This reaction is, however, limited to 

 a much paler colour after the oil has been rectified by 

 treatment with sulphuric acid. 



With alkaline dyes it saponifies promptly, forming a 

 beautiful white soap, fully equal ia appearance to the 

 ))os(. C''v«til5 so^p frero q\\vq oil. With aqua ammonia 



a liniment is formed, which remains sufficiently fluid 

 at ordinary temperatures. Boiled with litharge the 

 oil yields lead plaster and glycerine. 



One of the most remarkable properties ef the oil, 

 by means of which it may be distinguished from similar 

 oils, is its low congealing point. Olive oil begins 

 to congeal and become turbid at + 10^ C. (50 ° F.) 

 Cotton seed oil at + 2 <= 0. ( + 35 6 F). Oil of 

 benne at— 5° C. (+ 23 <= F.) Almond oil at— 20® C. 



Maize oil is intermediate between the two last. It 

 remains entirely clear down to— 8 ® C (+ 17-6° F.); 

 below that it begins to get slightly turbid, but is not, 

 fully congealed at— 10® (+ 14 op.). 



The properties above stated render it a valuable substi- 

 tute for olive oil in pharmaceutical preparations. Its 

 odour being but slight and not very penetrating, is 

 easily overcome by essential oils, and on this account 

 the oil may be used for toilet preparations. — Chemist 

 and Drugqist. 



♦ 



AN INTERESTING AGRICULTURAL 



EXPERIMENT. 



Of the two explanations as to the meaning of the 

 word "Dirt," the scientist's that it is "matter out of 

 place" and the sharp child's that it is "mud with the 

 wet squeezed out," the former is about to receive a 

 practical exemplification, as far as Bombay is concerned 

 in the proposed utilisation of the city sweepings for the 

 manufacture of artificial manure. The invention is the 

 idea of Dr. S. Cooke of the College of Science, Poona, 

 who has secured a patent for his system. I have had 

 an opportunity of inspecting the article which is put up 

 in large or small blocks as desired. It is a grey porous 

 substance somewhat resembling pumice-stone, but is 

 much more friable; in fact one of its inventors claims 

 is that it can be very easily reduced to powder and 

 drilled into the ground with seed at the time of sow- 

 ing. Dr. Cooke has a convincing proof of the efficacy 

 of his invention in his garden. Five plots of ground 

 of equal area have been planted with the same quantity 

 of nachnee. The first plot has been left unmanured, 

 with the result that the weeds have decidedly the 

 upper hand. Plot 2 was dressed with wood ashes, the 

 result not being very satisfactory. Plot 3 was fertilised 

 by the ordinary process of rab, two experienced hill 

 men coming especially to do the work. The result of 

 this treatment of the soil was an average crop such 

 as may be seen on the ordinary Hill Farm. Plot 4 

 was worked with partially burnt horse manure, 

 the result being that too much heat was generated 

 which destroyed part of the seed, leaving what did 

 come up very good, however. Plot 5 was the patent 

 fertiliser drilled in with the seed, and the result is 

 simply astonishing. Whereas the average height of 

 the plants on the other beds was about fourteen inches, 

 and the colour of the stems varj'ing from light to 

 medium green, the stems and leaves in this plot were 

 of the darkest and richest green and of a height of 

 about two feet with magnificent heads of seed, Aa 

 far ii5 can be judged from an experimental growth 

 under favourable conditions, the result is nicst am* 

 elusive, and there should be, if not "miilioiis/'at least 

 "thoii.«ands" in the invention, As regards the uiaotl' 

 facture on a large scale of this fertilizer, it is to be 

 encouraged irrespective of its agrlculturtil aspect, 

 because it furnishes a means of solving what is becom« 

 ing daily a most serious problem : namely, the disposal 

 of street sweepings which in large cities and even in 

 small towns in hot climates necessitates much thought 

 and care, to render the operation of removal harm^ 

 less and unnoticeable, a result not yet obtained ia 

 Bombay, where the Municipality have to grapple with 

 the serious problem of removing the enormous quantity 

 of nearly 400 tons daily. Eight hundred cubic yards 

 of refuse are daily Carted from Bombay, and the 

 question is coming prominently forward, "What are 

 we going to do with it P" At this moment Dr. Cooke 

 comes to the front and proposes that a company be 

 formed to take over the entire sweepings and convert 

 them into a useful and powerful agent for good. The 

 company, if formed, would thus stand in that are 



