Composition and Nutritive Value of Cotton-cake. 



COMPOSITION OF ORDINARY COTTON-CAKE MADE OP WHOLE SEED. 



On comparing the composition of these cakes with the average 

 composition of decorticated cake it will be seen : 



1. That the proportion of oil in the common cake is very 

 much smaller than in the decorticated cake. The amount of oil 

 is in reality inconsiderable, since most other oil-cakes, such as 

 linseed, rape, poppy, and others, contain a good deal more fatty 

 matter. 



2. In decorticated cotton-cake there is a much higher per- 

 centage of albuminous compounds. 



3. On the other hand, the proportion of indigestible fibre in 

 ordinary cotton-cake is far more considerable than in decorticated 

 cake. 



Common cotton-cake is sold at a lower price than the decor- 

 ticated cake, but, considering the inferior character of the former, 

 its lower price offers little inducement to intending purchasers. 

 A ton of the best decorticated cake, I am inclined to think, is 

 worth quite as much as two tons of the inferior cake made of the 

 whole seed. I consider the latter dear at the price at which it 

 is sold. 



The first sample of the three contained much more woody fibre 

 than the two others. I may observe, however, that the propor- 

 tion of woody fibre mentioned in the analyses of these cakes 

 does not indicate the amount of seed-shells. What is here called 

 indigestible woody fibre was obtained by treating the cake with 

 cold and boiling water, and subsequently with dilute potash 

 solution and dilute sulphuric acid. By these means the al- 

 buminous compounds, pectinous matters, and other constituents 

 of the seed-shells are rendered soluble, and the insoluble residue 

 is conceived to be indigestible cellular fibre. 



