F 
‘ 
cf ae 
Uluminating Gias from Gotion Seed. a 
iumination quite equal to that of the oil gas, (of which it is in~ 
deed only a cane ,) and superior to most varieties of the bitu- 
minous coa an Asecor to the pure olefiant gas and 
this is the eat Swick the inflammable gases obtained from per- 
haps every substance except alcohol decomposed by sulphu- 
ric acid. The kernel of the hickory-nut comes the nearest 
to the olefiant and is but little inferior ; the quality of the gas 
is considerably debased by using the entire nut—the we 
covering of which affords a gas which burns with a pales 
ame. 
he is very easy to injure the gas of cotton seed bya careless 
nt of the heat, particularly by using too much heat, 
this 3 is true, probably, of all other substances which af- 
ford inflammable gases ; in general the lower the heat, Lod 
vided it be sufficient, the better the gas. 
The following remarks were aa: by Professor Oln- 
sted at our request.—EpTor. 
* Cotton seed is highly oleaginous, and the obiect in “my 
arrangements for obtaining the gas, is to bring the oily va- 
pour, (which is expelled by a very gentle heaty into contaet 
with a surface of ignited iron, by which it is decomposed into 
carburetted hydrogen gas. For this purpose, a heat not 
exceeding the lowest degree of redness, is all that is necessary. 
If it be carried higher, a lighter kind of gas is produced, 
poms is greatly inferior to the other in illuminating power. 
A furnace’ of brick work, or even a common culinary fire, 
afford therefore the requisite degree of heat. ay. met eth- 
od of proceeding ha has been as follows : 
“¢4. An ounce of cotton seed is dried on the fire i ina ladle, 
and a red hot iron is introduced to sin; Ast the small remnant 
ef cotton that adhere: to the seed. It is dried, ecaikce vite 
_ moisture, by its decomposition, would i peadane an inflamma- 
ble gas, not sutficiently luminous for our purpose, and it is 
singed for a similar reason, the gas produced by the cotton 
being inferior to that of the see 
. Thus prepared, the séed is intreduced “into an iron 
tube closed at one end like a gun-barrel, and is pushed down 
quite to the bottom of the tube by a ramrod. 
«3. The tube is next laid across a farnace (a common ake 
would answer) in such a manner, that the closed end of the 
tube containing the seed, projects out of the furnace so far, 
that the seed may he removed entirely froin the direct action 
