10 Aug., 1918.] The Castor Oil Plant. 507 



Tor the finer grades of oil, selected seed is taken, the husk removed, 

 and the soft kernels expressed in the cold. The colourless oil thus 

 obtained is free from the poisonous principle, ricin, which is present 

 in the seeds. The remaining cake is pressed again, yielding inferior oil. 



Inferior seed is hot-pressed directly, or else the oil is extracted by 

 solvents. The solvents used are carbon bisulphide, or alcohol. The oil 

 is subsequently refined by steaming. 



The beans contain 45 to 53 per cent, of oil, about 40 per cent, being 

 obtained by expression. The residual cake is not available for stock 

 feeding, since it contains the poisonous ricin. It is, however, as already 

 mentioned, a useful manure. 



5. The Castor Plant is Australia. — The castor plant grows wild in 

 many parts of Australia, particularly in "Western Australia; along the 

 Torrens Kiver, in South Australia ; and in the neighbourhood of Sydney. 

 Mr. W. M. Doherty, F.I.C., stated in a communication to the Industrial 

 Section of the Royal Society of New South Wales, in April, 1918, that 

 he had collected seeds from a vigorous plant growing in sand near the 

 shore of Botany Bay, and he exhibited samples of oil crushed from 

 the seed of two varieties grown at Wamberal, near Gosford, ISTew South 

 Wales. The analysis of the oil was quite satisfactory. 



Lycett Proprietary Limited have tested two samples of seed from 

 Western Australia on a laboratory scale, and obtained 47 and 49 per 

 cent, of oil respectively, as against 53 per cent, from Calcutta and Java 

 beans. This is high enough to form a paying proposition provided the 

 seed could be obtained in sufficient quantities. 



6. Prospects of the Industry. — Castor oil is used largely as a lubri- 

 cant for machinery, especially in warm climates, and its use has been 

 increased lately in Europe and the United States, owing to the demand 

 for it as a lubricant for aeroplane engines. The present price of the 

 seed in Australia is £20 to £25 per ton, c.i.f., Melbourne, and the demand 

 is about 200 tons per month. Before the war, the price was £11 to 

 £J3 per ton, but it is very improbable that prices will fali as low as 

 this for a number of years after the war. 



The crop, as already indicated, is a quick-growing one, and seed 

 can be harvested within six to ten months. The chief drawback is 

 undoubtedly the labour required in gathering the seed. In addition, 

 there is no experience available in Australia as to the best cultural 

 methods, nor as to the best varieties of seed for cultivation. Lycett 

 Proprietary Limited are planting a small area at Violet Town, Vic- 

 toria, in order to obtain this information for the benefit of growers. In 

 the meantime, this firm is prepared to supply Indian seed to intending 

 cultivators. 



— (Communicated hy the Commonwealth Council of Science 

 and Industry.) 



