TIIM ^COMPOSITION OF THK OIL OF PKKJKLV 

 PFAll SHFI* {Opunha spp.) 



By FRANK SMITH, B Sc , F.I.C., and 

 L. A. MESTON. 



{Bead before the Royal Socielij of Queensland, 21 th April, 



1914.) 



The Seed. 

 Opuntia species, the prickly-pear of America and 

 Australia, bear considerable quantities of fruit of more or 

 less edible (pialit y and containing proportion of seed varying 

 in varieties examined in Amei'ica from 5 to 9 percent, by 

 Aveight of the edible pulp. In Queensland varieties examined 

 the seed has been found to comprise 6 to 11 per cent, of 

 the fruit.''' 



The seeds are distributed throughout the mass of the 

 pulp. They are somewhat disc-shaped and are from 

 one-eighth to three-sixteenths of an inch in diameter. 

 The seed coats are very hard and would be extremely 

 difficult of mastication and digestion by herbivora. 



On analysis the seed were found to have the follow- 

 ing compositionf : — 



-Moisture 



Protein 



Woody Fibre (Konig) 



Oil 



Ash 



(Jthcr Carbohydrates 



2.47 per cent. 



4.05 per cent. 



39.77 per cent. 



7.12 per cent. 



.■}.29 per cent. 



42.70 per cent. 



Other samples of seed were found by the authors to 

 contain from 6-8 per cent.. of oil. 



* Report of the Agricultural Chemist for 1912-1913. 

 + By permission of the AKricultmal Chemifit. 



