MUSTARD SEED. 



411 



The following figures give the production of oil and oil-seeds in 

 France at two periods. In 1870 there were 644,688 hectares under 

 culture with oil-seeds. 





1852, 



1862. 



Oil-seeds — 



Colza, poppy, cameline,^ 



Linseed .. 



hectolitres. 



O KOK AAA 



o,5zo,UUU 



543,000 

 920,000 



hectolitres. 



854,563 

 922,390 



Oils— 

 Olive 



1,422,000 

 246,000 

 144,000 



828,855 

 399,155 



Mustard Seed. — A number of species of this family are cultivated 

 for their seeds in Europe, north Africa, and northern and middle 

 Asia. By some the plants are referred to Brassica ; others continue 

 them under Sinapis. The seeds of white mustard (Sinapis alba, Linn.) 

 are less pungent than those of the black mustard (S. nigra), but are 

 used in a similar manner. Dr. Masters enumerates S. chinensis, 

 S. dichotoma, S. PeMnensis, S. ramosa, S. glauca, and S. Juncea among 

 the mustards which undergo cultivation in various parts of Asia, 

 either for the fixed oil of their seeds or for their herbage. From 

 15 lbs. to 20 lbs. of seeds of the white mustard are required for an 

 acre. In the climate of California 1400 lbs. of seeds have been 

 gathered from an acre. In China an oil is expressed from Brassica 

 sinensis in increasing quantities all through the valleys of the Yang-tze 

 and Han rivers. 



Very primitive machinery is used for the purpose. The seeds are 

 crushed, steamed, and put into wooden cylinders, usually made by 

 hollowing out the trunks of trees. The oil is squeezed out of the 

 mass, placed in coarse bags, by means of wedges forced down by 

 mallets, or by an arrangement similar to that by means of which piles 

 are generally driven into the earth. In the last case water power is 

 sometimes employed. The oil is of a dark yellow colour, thick, and 

 has a pleasant odour. It is used for lamps, in cooking, and as a 

 hair oil. 



The seeds of S. nigra and S. alba, simply crushed and then sifted, 

 constitute the mustard of commerce. The mixture is commonly two 

 parts of black and three of white mustard flour, but the proportions 

 used by different manufacturers vary. For medicinal use the black 

 seeds are preferable for sinapism and other purposes. In rich soils 

 this plant is very prolific. The chemical constituents are a peculiar 

 acrid fixed oil, crystalline sinapin, the fatty sinapisin, myron-acid, 

 and myrosin. 



There are two sorts of mustard : the white mustard, which is grown 

 for oilcake for sheep feed, and for green manure to be ploughed in for 

 wheat ; and the brown mustard, which is chiefly grown for use as a table 

 condiment. On the marshy and wild coast soils of east England it is 



