June 1, 1865.] THE TECHNOLOGIST. 



497 



A NEW OIL-SEE D FOR THE COLONIES. 



Madia is a genus of South American herbaceous plants, "belonging to 

 the natural order of Compositse, one of the species of which, Madia 

 sativa, is of value for the oil yielded by its seeds upon pressure. It is a 

 native of Chili, where it has long been cultivated for the sake of its oil, 

 which is of excellent quality. It grows like the aster ; the blossom is 

 yellow, and put together in clusters ; the stalk is from three to five feet 

 high, grows compact, and requires a sandy soil. The seed is like that 

 of the sunflower, but mu;h smaller. 



In Chili the oil is used instead of olive oil, the finer quality for 

 edible and the grosser for illuminating purposes. It was introduced 

 from Chili into Asia Minor with great success, thence into Algeria and 

 the south part of France, and into some warm parts of Germany, and is 

 said to be more abundant in oil than any plant introduced into Europe. 

 It attracted attention in Europe previously to 1839, in consequence of 

 Mr. Bosch, the superintendent of the gardens of the King of Wurtemberg, 

 having successfully cultivated it in Germany on a large scale. He 

 found that, as compared with rape and poppies, the amount of oil 

 yielded per German acre was as follows : — 



Rape yields 240 lbs. oil per German acre. 

 Poppies „ 284 „ „ 



Madia „. 242 „ „ 



This oil does not congeal at 19 cleg, below zero of Reaumur, but 

 only becomes a little less fluid, which makes it a valuable material for 

 keeping machines in order. 



In Europe, the seeds are sown in October, and from four to six 

 pounds are required per German acre. The crop is of the easiest 

 management, and' the only precaution to be taken by the cultivator, 

 which it is important to notice, is, that the seeds must be thrashed out 

 soon after the crop is cut, otherwise the glutinous stalks, when heaped 

 up, ferment and injure the seeds. 



The Madia is known in Germany as the " Olbegende Medikraut ," 

 or " Olmud," and seed may be had of Messrs. Booth's successors, No. 32, 

 Grosse Reichenstrasse, Hamburg. 



