806 EXPERIMENT STATION BECOED. [Vol.35 



cated that by this procedure from 20 to 22 gm. of pure butter fat can be pre- 

 pared in an liour. 



The determination of the specific gravities of fixed oils in the Tropics, 

 C. H. Weight {Jour. Soc. Chem. Indus., S5 (1916), No. 8, pp. 457, 458).— Due to 

 the fact that the dew-point of the air is usually about 15.5° C. (59.9° F.), it- 

 is a difficult matter to determine the specific gravity at this temperature in 

 the Tropics, since moisture condenses on the outside of the apparatus used. 

 A Westphal balance can be used if the oil is cooled to 15.5°, but the procedure 

 is not convenient on account of moisture condensation on the surface of the 

 oil and the platinum wire attached to the plummet. A convenient and rapid 

 method in which the specific gravity is determined at the temperature of 

 the air and then calculated for specific gravity at 15.5° is outlined in detail 

 and the calculations for the same explained. 



Peanut oil, H. C. Thompson and H. S. Bah^ey (U. S. Dept. Agr., Farmers' 

 Bui. 151 (1916), pp. 16). — This is intended primarily for those interested in the 

 manufacture of peanut oil or the growing of peanuts. It contains information 

 regarding the manufacture of peanut oil in Europe and in this covintry, with 

 reference to the preparation of the peanuts, the machinery used in peanut-oil 

 manufacture, the by-products of the industry, and the economic aspects of 

 the problems, such as yield, cost of production, and returns. Analyses show- 

 ing the oil content of 12 samples of Spanish and 19 of Virginia varieties of 

 peanuts, all grown in this country, and proximate analyses of the shelled nuts 

 and shells of five varieties grown at Florence, S. C. are included. 



Analyses of two oil fruits and seeds from tropical Africa, H. Wagnek and 

 J. B. Lampabt (Ztschr. Untersuch. Nahr. u. Gemissmtl., 30 (1915), No. 6, pp. 

 221-226, figs. 2). — The fruit of the plant Coula edulis is uniformly round and 

 covered with an integument 5 cm. thick. The seeds themselves are white, 

 with a very thin and brittle brown integument. The average weight of 100 

 nuts wa*! found to be 1.463 kg. The sound seeds showed 12.01 per cent of 

 protein, 30.48 per cent of fat, and 49.9 per cent of nitrogen-free extract. 



The fat obtained was a brown liquid at room temperature and possessed no 

 characteristic odor or taste. On analysis the following constants were ob- 

 tained : Specific gravity (25° C), 0.9116; index of refraction (40°), 51.2; 

 acid value, 18.41 ; acid degree, 32.87 ; saponification value, 189.7 ; iodin value 

 (Hiibl), 83.36; Reichert-Meissl value, 0.36; and Polenske value, 0.22. For 

 the total fatty acids the following values were obtained : Neutralization value, 

 197.5 ; average molecular weight, 284 ; iodin value, 87.09 ; and refractive index, 

 39.4. The phytosterol content was also determined according to the digitonin 

 procedure and found to be 0.1623 per cent. The melting point of the acetate 

 was from 128 to 129° and the solidifying point, 122.5°. On saponification a pure 

 alcohol of melting point 135° was obtained. 



The fruit of Limonia vmrneckei on analysis showed moisture, 7.26 per cent; 

 protein, 16.26; fat, 38.5; fiber, 6.75; nitrogen-free extract, 25.72; and ash, 

 5.51 (0.85 per cent PaOs). The following physical and chemical constants of 

 the oil were established : Refractive index, 47.7 ; melting point, 32.4° ; solidify- 

 ing point, from 21.5 to 21°; acid value, 4.13; acid index, 7.34; saponification 

 value, 188.8; iodin value, 75.2; Reichert-Meissl value, 0.55; and Polenske 

 value, 0.55. 



For the total fatty acids the following constants were obtained : Refractive 

 index, 38.3 ; melting point, 44.3° ; solidifying point, 38.5° ; neutralization value, 

 199.7 ; average molecular weight, 280.9 ; and iodin value, 80.47. The free and 

 fatty acids were found to consist largely of palmitic acid. The phytosterol 



