LARD OIL. 



the purpose of combustion, no oil is superior. 

 It is important, in trying it with this view, to 

 obtain a good article, manufactured from good 

 lard, and not from the dark-burned, which 

 creates smoke and clogs the flame. For want 

 of sufficient care in this respect, some have no 

 doubt met with disappointment in their attempts 

 to substitute this oil for sperm oil in their 

 lamps. 



The following are given as the relative con- 

 stituents of lard oil and sperm oil, in 100 parts 

 of either: 



Carbon. 



Lard oil 79'03 



Sperm oil 79*05 



116 



Oxvren. 

 9518 

 8-9 



It will thus be seen that the difference in 

 carbon is only 3-00 ; about the same in hydro- 

 gen; while in oxygen it is about 4-10 in favour 

 of the lard oil. The large quantity of carbon 

 proves that it may be relied on as a material for 

 giving light, as it is well known that whenever 

 carbon predominates in an animal oil, the ar- 

 ticle is capable of a high degree of luminous 

 power. Experiments have been made which 

 have shown results in favour of lard oil. 

 About 60 Ibs. in 100 of good lard, in tallow only 

 28 is oil ; and the processes of manufacture 

 resorted to show that it may be made a profita- 

 ble business. Large orders have already been 

 executed at the West for this oil, to be used in 

 the Eastern States. The heat of lard oil for 

 the blow-pipe has been found to be much 

 greater than that of sperm. Lard itself melts 

 at 82 to 97 of Fahrenheit; its specific gravity 

 at 60 is 0.938. Lard crystallizes in small 

 globules ; sperm in flakes or scales. It is 

 soluble in boiling alcohol. The proportion is 

 80 gallons of lard to 1 of alcohol. The appli- 

 cation of stearine for candles promises greatly 

 to reduce the price of that article, so that can- 

 dles equal to spermaceti may eventually be 

 reduced to 12$ cents per pound. 



As the capillary attraction of the lard oil is 

 not so great as that of sperm, it is recommend- 

 ed that the form of the lamp should be such as 

 to bring the bulk of the oil as near to the point 

 of combustion as possible. 



It is also recommended that the tube should 

 be filed thinner at the top where the wick is 

 inserted, to prevent the escape of heat. Various 

 lamps have been constructed for burning lard 

 as well as lard oil, which have been found to 

 answer very well. The burning of this oil has 

 been introduced with entire success into the 

 light-houses on Lake Erie. An objection has 

 been made against lard oil, that it is not capable 

 of being preserved in a liquid state in cold wea- 

 ther; but by a process similar to that by which 

 the winter sperm is prepared, lard oil can be 

 made which will not chill at 30 of Fahrenheit. 



The importance of this application of lard 

 can scarcely yet be realized. Vast quantities 

 of the oil can be manufactured at the West. 

 Indeed, there is hardly any assignable limit to 

 the power of production of the article, so that, 

 while the demand continues, the business may 

 be conducted profitably. The immense herds 

 of swine which can be suffered to range over 

 the lands adapted to them, and gather their 

 food from mast as well as the surplus of corn, 

 wheat, potatoes, &c., on which they may be 



LARVA. 



sustained, admit of the manufacture being car- 

 ried on to almost any extent. 



The proportion of lard to the whole hog is 

 about 60 per cent., after taking out the hams 

 and shoulders, or taking out the hams only; 

 the estimate for hogs of the best breeds, and so 

 fed as to produce the greatest quantity of fat, 

 is 70 per cent. As the object is not in this 

 case to make pork for food, the objection 

 against those species of nuts, and other modes 

 of feeding which render the animal more gross 

 and oily, is obviated; and it has been proposed 

 to feed out oil-cake to swine, to increase the 

 proportion of oil. 



By a new process of steaming, a very sim- 

 ple method described by Mr. Stafford, it ap- 

 pears that the whole of the lard or oily matter 

 in the hog, or of tallow in cattle, may be ob- 

 tained; while the danger of burning (common 

 in other modes) is avoided, the consumption 

 of fuel lessened, and the degree of pressure 

 required not so great as otherwise. It will be 

 recollected that, while conducting the manu- 

 facture of lard, the other parts of the animal, 

 as the hams and shoulders, may be turned to 

 profit. Besides these, also, the hides may be 

 tanned by a cheap process : and the bones, 

 which are worth half a cent per pound, may be 

 calcined and made into animal carbon, for 

 which they are said to be worth, in this cal- 

 cined state, 2 cents per pound. (Ellsworth's 

 Report.} 



LARKSPUR (Delphinium, from delphin, a dol- 

 phin, in reference to the supposed resemblance 

 in the nectary of the plant to the imaginary 

 figures of the dolphin). All the species of 

 larkspur are showy, and valuable as border 

 flowers, especially D. ajacis and D. consolida, 

 both of which are universally grown among 

 the border annuals. The herbaceous and pe- 

 rennial kinds are increased by divisions or 

 seeds, and the annual and biennial kinds mere- 

 ly require sowing in the open border, where 

 they will flower and seed freely. The field 

 larkspur (D. consolida), grows wild in sandy or 

 chalky corn-fields in England, and is regarded 

 as a simple astringent. In gardens this species 

 is called the branching larkspur, and attains 

 the height of 3 or 4 feet, blowing vivid blue 

 flowers. 



D. Grandiflorum is a hardy and beautiful pe- 

 rennial, blowing dark blue flowers in July and 

 August. It loves a dry soil, and open situation. 



The bee larkspur is a beautiful perennial, 

 blowing bright blue flowers in July and Au- 

 gust. Sheep and goats eat the wild larkspur, 

 horses do not relish it, while cows and swine 

 totally refuse it. Bees are remarkably attach- 

 ed to its flowers, which are likewise gathered 

 by the country people of Germany, cut small 

 and mixed with tobacco, to improve its flavour. 



LARVA (Lat. a mask). A term applied to 

 that state, in which an insect exists, immedi- 

 ately after its exclusion from the egg, and 

 which precedes the pupa state. The animals 

 commonly called grubs, maggots, and caterpillars, 

 are larvae. Grub appears to be a general 

 term analogous to larva ; the term maggot is 

 most generally applied to the larva state of 

 dipterous insects ; and caterpillar, in the most 

 common acceptation of the term, is used to de- 

 3 N 2 701 



