2i8 ECONOMIC PLANTS 



hauled at once to the factory, they should be stored in 

 earth-covered piles in the open air. 



OIL PLANTS 



Of the oleaginous, or oil-producing, plants, cotton 

 probably ranks first. Formerly the seeds of this plant 

 when separated from the fiber were treated as waste 

 matter, to be disposed of in the easiest and most eco- 

 nomical way possible. Experiments finally demon- 

 strated their great worth, not alone for the oil in them, 

 but also for their fertilizing and stock-feeding value. 



The United States exported over 50,0x30,000 gallons 

 of cottonseed oil in 1912, with a value of $15,000,000. 



Flax seed yields an oil, called linseed oil, which is 

 much used in the manufacture of varnishes, paints, and 

 printer's ink. 



Castor oil is made from the castor bean, and the 

 pomace, which remains from the extraction, though 

 poisonous, is an excellent fertilizer, containing potash, 

 phosphoric acid, and nitrogen. The most important use 

 of castor oil in this country is for dyeing cotton goods. 

 Its second important use is as a medicine. Its use as 

 a lubricant is quite common in all countries. 



The olive is cultivated in southwestern United States 

 and California, not only for the fruit which is put into 

 a brine when green, but also for the oil which is extracted 

 from the ripe fruit and used for salads and cooking and 

 also as medicine. 



FIBER PLANTS 



Cotton easily ranks first among the fiber-producing 

 plants in production, value, and importance. The 

 so-called cotton belt includes almost the whole of the 



