Composition and Nutritive Value of Cotton-cake. 5 



which are marked " Patent Kiln-dried Oil-meal," and also bear 

 the name and address of the exporter. 



We have thus, as far as I know, the following four varieties 

 of cotton-cake offered for sale in the English market : 



1 . Thin decorticated cotton-cake. 



2. Thick decorticated cake. 



3. Ordinary cake made of whole seed. 



4. Oil-meal. 



Having analysed recently samples of each kind, I now beg to 

 lay before the readers of the Journal the results of my examina- 

 tions, and to accompany the analytical data by a few observations 

 that may assist intending purchasers in selecting for themselves 

 the best description of cotton-cake. No other description of 

 cake is subject to so great variations in composition as cotton- 

 cake. In practical feeding experiments it is therefore most 

 desirable that the composition of the cake should be stated, or at 

 any rate the kind of cake be accurately described. 



The following results plainly show that cotton-cake has been 

 sold this year in England which is more than twice as nutritious 

 and fattening as other samples. Those who have been fortunate 

 enough to secure the best decorticated cake I doubt not will be 

 led by their experience to consider it a most valuable feeding 

 substance, whilst the experience of buyers of inferior cake, made 

 from the whole seed, must lead to a much less favourable prac- 

 tical opinion. 



1. THIN DECORTICATED COTTON-CAKE. 



This cake, as mentioned' already, is made from the shelled 

 seed. It has about the same thickness and shape as American 

 linseed-cake, but differs from the latter in outward appearance 

 and in composition. The best decorticated cotton-cake has 

 a light yellow colour, and is free from any strong smell ; 

 neither has it any well-defined taste. It shows here and there 

 a few threads of cotton fibre, and contains very little of the 

 dark-brown coloured seed-shells. Mixed with water, in a roughly 

 powdered state, it does not become gelatinous like linseed- 

 cake, nor does it develop any pungent smell under this treat- 

 ment like rape-cake. 



Cotton-cake does not contain any large amount of mucilage, 

 nor anything that produces on mixing with water a volatile, 

 pungent, and injurious essential oil. 



Cattle often take at once to it, and even when fed upon linseed- 

 cake they soon get accustomed to the taste of cotton-cake, and 

 apparently eat it as readily as linseed-cake. 



