May 13, 1918 



Chemistry of the Cotton Plant 



In the experiment concerned with the fractional distillation, 7.84 gm. 

 were heated on the steam bath for two hours. At the end of that time 

 the oil had apparently lost weight to the extent of 0.04 gm., the loss 

 consisting of ether. The heated sample was then fractionated at ordinary 

 pressure, giving the following results. 



The odor of the residue onlv seemed empyreumatic. 



vSUMMARY 



(i) Quercimeritrin and isoquercitrin, formerly isolated from other 

 types of the cotton plant, have now also been found in Upland cotton 

 (Gassy pium hirsutum) . 



(2) The leaves and flowers, with petals removed, contained quer- 

 cimeritrin, while the petals contained both quercimeritrin and isoquer- 

 citrin. 



(3) No traces have been found of gossypitrin and gossypetin, which 

 have been isolated from other types of cotton. 



(4) An ethereal oil has been isolated from G. hirsututn which is dif- 

 ferent from that found in the bark of the root of G. herbaceum. It 

 distills mainly between 200° and 300° C, and leaves a black empyreu- 

 matic residue. The lower fractions of the distillate have a j^ellow to 

 greenish-yellow color, the higher fractions light blue-green to dark blue. 

 This oil proved to be attractive to the boll weevil. 



LITERATURE CITED 

 (i) FiNNEMORE, Horace. 



1910. CHEMICAL EXAMINATION OF A SPECIES OF PRUNUS. In Phaxm. Jour., 

 V. 85 (s. 4, V. 31), p. 604-607. 

 (2) Perkin, a. G. 



1909. the coloring matters of the flowers of hibiscus sabdaripfa and 

 THESPASiA LAMPAS. In Jout. Chem. Soc. [London], v. 95, pt. 2, 

 p. 1855-1860. 



(3) 



(4) 



1909. THE COLORING MATTER OF COTTON FLOWERS, GOSSYPIUM HERBACEUM. 



n. In Jour. Chem. Soc. [London], v. 95, pt. 2, p. 2181-2193. 



1916. THE COLORING MATTER OP COTTON FLOWERS. III. In JoUt. Chem. SoC. 



[London], v. 109, pt. i, p. 145-154. 



