144 PLANT PRODUCTS 



On the small scale, it is not infrequent to mix the safflower 

 seed with other seeds before pressing. Safflower oil has good 

 drying properties, but not equal to linseed. It, nevertheless, 

 can replace linseed for such purposes as preserving ropes, 

 etc., from the action of water and air. It is used in India 

 also largely for decorative purposes, the " wax cloth " being 

 largely made by drawing artistic designs with the aid of this 

 oil, and then dusting on mica, or other glistening materials. 

 The saffron dye is made from the yellow florets, which are 

 plucked and dried. 



Sesame, Gingelly, Til Seed (Sesamum Indicum). — 

 This is an annual plant grown throughout the tropics and 

 sub-tropics. Sesame seeds are lich in oil, containing from 

 45 "to 57 P^^ cent, of oil and usually have to be pressed more 

 than once. The bulk of the business has previously been 

 carried out at Marseilles, where a cold-pressed oil is obtained 

 first, and then further oils obtained by the addition of water 

 and the raising of the temperature, by which means another 

 10 per cent, can be obtained. The best quality oil, cold 

 pressed, is a good, colourless and odourless oil, but that 

 obtained from the later pressings is of inferior quality. 

 Sesame oil is a slow-drying oil, and is liable to become rancid 

 with considerable rapidity. It can, however, be used as a 

 substitute for olive oil, and is used in the manufacture of 

 margarine, the lower qualities being used for soap-making 

 and for rather inferior lubricating oils. The cake contains 

 about 30 to 40 per cent, of albuminoids and only 6 per cent. 

 fibre. 



Niger Seed is a plant originally coming from Abyssinia, 

 but is now also cultivated in India. The seeds contain 

 about 40 per cent, of oil, 19 per cent, albuminoids, and 14 

 per cent, fibre, whilst the cake contains 30 to 35 per cent, 

 albuminoids and 18 per cent, fibre. 



Mowha or Mowra Seed (Bassia Seed). — The two 

 species of bassia which provide the mowha seed are grown 

 in India and Ceylon, one species grown in the northern or 

 extra-peninsular portion, and the other in the southern or 

 peninsular portion. Mowha fat is soft and yellow, like 



