802 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. [Vol.43 



value 188, iodin value (per cent) 69.8, unsaponifiable matter (per cent) 0.54, 

 soluble volatile acids 0.42, insoluble volatile acids 0.32, and acetyl value 21.1. 

 These figures indicate that the oil is of a nondrying type suitable either for 

 soap manufacture or as a lubricant. 



The residual meal from the extraction of the oil from the entire seeds and 

 that from the decorticated kernels had the following composition : IMoisture 9.2 

 (entire seed) and 7.4 per cent (decorticated kernels), crude proteins 16.3 and 

 88.3 per cent, fat 1 and 0.4 per cent, carbohydrates (by difference) 51.9 and 

 42.9 per cent, crude fiber 18.6 and 5.1 per cent, and ash 3 and 5.9 per cent. Tlie 

 meal contained no alkaloid or cyanogenetic glucosid but a small amount of 

 saponin. Feeding trials are neccssaiy to determine whether the meal can 

 safely be used as a cattle food. 



The castor-oil industry, J. H. Shrader {U. S. Dept. Agr. Bui. 867 (1920), pp. 

 JfO, figs. 15). — This is an extensive compilation of information on the castor-oil 

 industry, including a discussion of the source of castor-oil ; statistics on the 

 trade and commerce in castor beans and oil during the past ten years ; a de- 

 scription, contributed by A. C. Goetz, of the inspection and valuation of castor 

 beans in New York City ; a detailed description with illustrations of the manu- 

 facture of the oil ; data on the composition of commercial samples of the oil of 

 different grades, with .specifications drawn up by the Bureau of Aircraft Pro- 

 duction for castor oil for lubricating purposes and a comparison of the composi- 

 tion and properties of American-produced and imported oils ; and a discussion 

 of the various uses of the oil. 



The general methods described for obtaining the oil include the use of the 

 cage press, the Anderson oil expeller, and stationary and rotary extractors 

 for solvent extraction of the residual oil from the press cake. Experimental 

 evidence has been obtained indicating that a good grade of No. 1 oil can also 

 be obtained by direct extraction of the slightly crushed but undecorticated 

 beans with benzol by percolation. The residual oil, after evaporation of the 

 benzol, is purified by heating to 95 or 1(X)° C. for about 10 minutes with 5 per 

 cent of fuller's earth, adding 2 per cent of decolorizing carbon, allowing the 

 temperature to fall slowly to about 90°, and filtering. 



Concerning the possibility of a permanent American castor-bean industry, 

 attention is called to the fact that, through the campaign of castor-bean growing 

 inaugurated in 1917 by the Bureau of Aircraft Production, considerable informa- 

 tion is available concerning yields per acre and cost of handling in different 

 parts of the country, the details of seed selection and methods of planting, culti- 

 vating, and harvesting. 



" We are now in a good position from the standpoint of knowledge of farm- 

 ing conditions to adopt intelligently whatever measures may be necessary to 

 meet foreign competition. . . . But the farmer who would raise castor beans 

 as a crop will have to be shown that he can receive more money per acre than 

 he is receiving from his present crops before there will be a satisfactory home 

 production of castor beans. Cost, yield, market, and profit are the determining 

 factors." 



Urease content of Dutch seeds and diiTerent varieties of soy beans, D. H. 

 Wester {Pharvi. ZentralhaUe, 61 (1920), No. 28, pp. 377-382).— Essentially 

 noted from another source (E. S. R., 43, p. 10). 



Volumetric method for the determination of diastatic capacity, J. T. 

 Flohil (Jour. Indus, and Engin. Chem., 12 (1920), No. 7, p. 677).— The tech- 

 nique of the method is as follows: 



"A 5 per cent malt solution is prepared according to Lintner. One cc. of 

 the extract is introduced into 100 cc. of a 2 per cent soluble starch solution 

 in a 200 cc. flask, left to act for exactly one hour at 20° C, then treated with 



