BistdpJdde of Carbon as a Solvent. 137 



What I consider the most important results of these 

 experiments are those which relate to the extraction of the 

 oil from seeds such as linseed, rape, olive, turnip, colewort, 

 gold of pleasure, poppy, sunflower, and some others. 



The monthly average imports of linseed oil during 1871 

 was — 13,562 gallons of colza; of olive, 1,967 gallons ; these 

 are from the United Kingdom. There are also very large 

 imports of castor oil from Calcutta. Chinese oil is largely 

 imported. The imports of vegetable oils are over 300,000 

 per annum. And I am informed the quantity of these oils 

 imported is steadily increasing. 



By the following experiments I think I shall be able to 

 show that the process could be profitably carried out ; 

 accepting the statements that our climate and soil are well 

 adapted for the growth of oleaginous seeds, and that our 

 agTiculturists are much in .want of paying rotation crops. 



The first experiment made was with a sample of sun- 

 flower-seeds by the Hon. Captain Cole, at Brighton. The 

 result of two trials. was — First sample, 25.9 per cent, of oil; 

 and the second, 25.82 per cent, of oil. This is fully 10 per 

 cent, more than the amount given by the English autho- 

 rities. The residual meal is nutritious for cattle, &c. 



Four determinations were made of the oil in linseed, with 

 the following results : First, 35.98 per cent. ; second, 44.27 

 per cent. ■ third, 41.92 per cent. To check the accuracy of 

 the work the three samples were mixed and tried as a whole, 

 giving an amount of oil equal to 39.56 per cent. ; the 

 average of the previous separate determinations, 40.72 

 per cent. 



Musprat gives the yield of oil from linseed in England at 

 from 11 to 22 per cent. 



" lire's Dictionary " gives, as the highest yield obtained, 

 27 per cent. ; wdiile Dr. Voelcker states that 34 per cent, has 

 been obtained. 



These results show that the quality of the seed treated in 

 England must vary much, and that to bring these results 

 at all near those of Mr. Graham, we must add the amount 

 of oil left in the cake, which appears to be about the same 

 whether the seed contains much or little oil. All the recent 

 authorities give English linseed cake as containing from 

 11-^ to 13 per cent, of oil. 



Five samples of rape or colza seed were tried with the 

 following results : First, 42.64 per cent. ; second, 49.86 per 

 •cent.; third, 59.11 per cent. ; fourth, 42.86 percent.; fifth, 



