CASTOK OIL SHRUB. 



Tilt; rastnr oil ^ihi'ub(7?/r//?7/s' atm/tiunh) alxninij^ 

 ill tlic colony Ivotli in a wild and rnltivatod statr, 

 tliriviug even in the most arid soils ; yet tlie 

 oil is still impdrti^ md sold in. ^mf^i& 

 b%lL ptK^t wlied % x&j Mt^e ailenti^ti my 

 •qiunitity could be expressed from tlio seeds, not 

 only for medicinal, hut likewise for domestic 

 purposes, sncli as burning in lamps ; for which 

 latter purpose it is used in some patts of South 

 America, as well fi# 1»j Hn^ S^Ytsite^ m6t dth^ 

 There are two melJiofis employed to extract tlie 

 oil — coctioii and expression ; the first is per- 

 formed by tying the seeds, previously decorti- 

 cated and bruised, in a bag, and then suspend- 

 ing ill boillxig^tea: iiiMll all ihe oil is e^aoted, 

 and, rising to the autface the water, is 

 :skimim'd off. 



This mode of [jreparation is still preh rred hy 

 many of the West Indian practitioners ; Init as 

 eSl m apt to get rani^d wifceii Jfins prepared, 

 it h now obtained, both at home and abroad^ by 

 subjecting the seeds to the press in the same 

 manner as the almond. The oil ohtained is 

 equal to one-lourth of the weight of the seeds 

 employed. The t^ertd |^ci|iiie h ^n^ne^ in 

 the cotyledons* vtd um in tfce emteym, nmik 

 the. testa. It is of a volatile nature. Good 

 expreissed castor oil is yearly inodorous and 



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