OLiA&iyOrS PLANTS 



of oil. of good quality, tliougli amber-colored. 2. Expression is 

 the simplest and most uisnally adopted process : tlie cleaned kernels 

 are well bruised, placedin cloth. bags, and e iv : ; - ■ i r rrril 

 lever and screw press. A thick oil is c :: : V. . le 



filtered through cloth and paper to separate i: : , In 



Bengal the manufacturers boiL the oil wate:\ .l:TrS 

 some albumen, and they subsequently f''t:t t':r :t.^'„ cl t... cliar- 

 coaL and paper. 3. The eiitraction l y . : _ : - :^ t : :t:-; ,:y some 

 druggists. Each pound of paste is tritui^ated vrirh : : :.r t r tmds of 

 alcohol, specific gravity S.350, and the mixture sul'-rct- l 1 1 pres- 

 sure. The oil dissolved by the alcohol escapes very tr-tly ; 

 half is recovered by the distillation of the spirit, the resiiue ;: t" f 

 distillation is boiled in a lai'ge quant'^ - ;: " : r, The cil -t t- 

 rates and is removed, and gently hc:.t- ; : :: any a;l_crcr.t 

 moisture ; then filtered at the temperature : ; . I . truheir ; 

 1,000 parts of the paste have by this proof giv-- 025 : : c jlorless 

 and exceedingly sweet cil. 



The cultivation of the Palma ch'isti, and the manti::v:tt:re of 

 castor oil, is extensively carried on in some parts of tt t Ut_:tcd 

 States, and continues on the increase. A sin^tle r^'rtit :.t t: Li v.is 

 has worked up IS. 500 bushels of beans in :'; tr t_::t. :'.~. -^ j : t ;. ::::^' 

 17,750 gallons of oil, and it is stated that SOU barrels nave been 

 sold, at 50 dollars per barrel. The oil may be prepared for burn- 

 ing, for machinery, soap, &c,, and is also eonvei-tible into steariae. 

 It is more soluble in alcohol than lard- oil. 



American castor oil is imported for the most part from Xew 

 York and Xew Orleans, but some comes from our ownrt'ssessions 

 in jS"orth America. In the United States, according to t::r ■ Att.e- 

 rican Dispensatory," the cleansed seeds are gently ::t.i":f;l it. a 

 shallow iron reservoir, to render the oil liquid for et y t : :tession, 

 and then compressed in a powerftil screw press, by ^ t ~hitish 

 oily liquid is obtained, which is boiled vdth watct iti titan iron 

 boilers, and the impurities skimmed off as they rise t: tt t sttrface. 

 The water dissolves the mucilage and starch, and tl :t 1 : tt ttagu- 

 lates the albumen, which forms a whitish layer I ::t, the oil 

 and water. The clear oil is now removed, andboile . "t: t ttinute 

 portion of water until aqueous vapors cease to ari^e : by iliis pro- 

 cess an acrid volatile matter is got rid of. The oil is put iuto 

 barrels, and in this way is sent into the market. American oil 

 has the reputation of being adulterated vrith olive oil. G-ood seeds 



yield about 25 per cent, of oil. A lar£'t " : tt: t_ : tt.e drug 



consumed in the eastern section of the U;t. t^ I t: 1 ty way 

 of ZS'ew Orleans from Illinois and the neiglt".: ; a lt._ States, 

 where it is so abundant that it is sometimes used :lt .ttAng in 

 lamps. 



In Jama.ica the bruised seeds are boiled with water in an ii'on 

 pot, and the liquid kept constantly stiiTed. The oil which sepa- 

 rates swims on the top, mixed with a white froth, and is skimmed 

 off. The skimmings are heated in a small iron pot, and straiaed 

 through a cloth. When cold it is put in jars or bottles for use. 



