304 Annual Report of the Consulting Chemist for 1886. 
Last year I spoke of the average percentage of oil as being 
not much above 12 per cent., but now 12 per cent, is reckoned 
as good quality, while the occurrence of cakes with only 
9 per cent, of oil is by no means unfrequent. I fear that there 
is little prospect of improvement in this respect, for I am 
informed that the entire export of decorticated cotton-cake 
from America to this country is in the hands of a Syndicate, 
and that, if anything, there will be still more oil extracted in 
future than has been the case up to now. To the English 
farmer this is a matter of great concern, and much to be 
regretted. Experiments made with this cake, both at Woburn 
and elsewhere, have established its great value as a food for 
fattening and milk-producing, and also its high manurial pro- 
perties ; but I cannot believe that the same can continue to be 
said of it when its condition is like that of the majority of cakes 
I have this year examined. A very striking fall in the price of 
this cake has been experienced, which is not to be wondered at ; 
but I venture to express the opinion that those who have the 
control of the supply of decorticated cotton-cake to this country 
Avould do well to express less of the oil, and pay more attention 
to the production of a cake which can be safely used for feeding 
purposes. If this were done, the farmer would be willing to 
pay a price considerably in excess of the present rate. The use 
of cake ground into meal is frequently recommended, but this 
will not, I think, become popular, as a considerable amount of 
suspicion attaches to a meal, which does not enter in the case 
of a cake. As examples of decorticated cotton-cakes which have 
been of low quality I append the following : — 
No. 1. 
No. 2. 
No. 3. 
Oil 
♦Albuminous compounds .. 
Digestible fibre, &c 
9-27 
8-17 
45-93 
24-82 
4-73 
7-08 
8-11 
8-80 
48-43 
25-24 
3-40 
6-02 
12-50 
7-43 
46-62 
23-73 
3-47 
6-25 
100-00 
100-00 
100-00 
* Containing nitrogen 
7-35 
7-75 
7-4G 
Undecorticated Cotton-cakes have been generally good in 
quality, though now and again they are found to be inferior, 
owing to their containing a large amount of husk, and also to 
having cotton-wool left in quantity still attached to the seed. 
