270 COMPOSITA. 
group of fixed oils, and states that its applications are to 
adulterate rape oil and to act as a substitute for linseed oil, — 
We have not found it to be siccative enough for the latter pur- — 
pose, and, in fact, from its sweetness and low congealing point, — 
we should agains it of greater value than that usually attri- 
buted to 
Description.—This is an annual, herbaceous, erect 
plant; leaves opposite, long, lanceolate, coarsely serrated, 
peduncles thin subcorymbose ; flowers a bright — 
yellow. 
The achenes are of a greyish-black colour, about Yo of an E 
inch long, somewhat angular from lateral compression, tapering 
towards the base, quite smooth, taste oily and nutty. 
Chemical composition.—The seeds have been examined by E 
Anderson who found them to contain water 7:02, oil 43°22, ‘ 
albuminous substances 19°37, sugar, gum, &c., 13°37, cellulose : 
"14°88, ash 3°48 per cent. The nitrogen amounted to 3°10 per 
cent, (Highland Agr. Soc. Journ., New Ser., No. 69, p. 376.) | 
The oil is light yellowish brown having a specific gravity — 
of *921 at 20° and -924 at 15°5°. It solidifies at a tempera- 
tare below zero. A few drops mixed with strong sulphuric _ 
acid form greenish brown clots. After the application of <3 
‘Massie’s test the oil became light brown; heated with the 
acid, and after the action had ceased, the oil became dark 
reddish brown. It required 19 per cent. of KHO for sapo- 
nification, and the fatty acids resulting from the decomposi- 
tion amounted to 949 per cent. of the oil and melted at 
about 21° C.. The fatty acids remaining at a temperature 
a little above their melting-point, separated into a solid white _ 
crystalline acid melting at 50° and some liquid oleic acid. 
By decomposing the lead soap of the fatty acids insoluble 
in ether, a white lustrous body was obtained melting at 54° 
: and solidifying at 51°, and soluble in alcohol with a slight acid — ; 
S reaction, probably myristic acid. The oil has slight drying 
properties. About one and-a-half gram of oil was heated to” 
= a of 92° in’ ‘a shallow me for a few hours 
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