THE UTILIZATION OF CHERRY BY-PRODUCTS. 
13 
compares favorably with the related oils. General factors, such as 
the age of the oil and the time intervening between the separation of 
the insoluble acids and the determination of the constants, would tend 
to modify the results obtained. 
For the purpose of comparison, the ph} 7 sical and chemical char- 
acteristics of the solid and liquid acids, after separation from the 
insoluble acids, were determined, and the results are given in Table V. 
Table V. — Physical and chemical constants of solid and liquid acids of oils 
from cherry pits and kernels. 
Solid acid 
s. 
Liquid acids. 
Source 
of oil. 
Yield. 
Description. 
Melt- 
ing 
point. 
Neu- 
traliza- 
tion 
value. 
Yield. 
Description. 
1 
Spe- 1 Re- 
cific 1 fractive 
gravity 1 index 
at at 
23° C 25° C. 
Neu- 
traliza- 
tion 
value. 
Iodin 
value. 
Cherry 
Per 
Per 
pits: 
cent. 
° a 
cent. 
Crude... 
6.27 
White, waxy 
mass, fatty 
odor. 
51 
197.2 
84 
Golden - yellow 
liquid, with 
nutlike odor, 
and sweet, 
fatty taste. 
0. 8917 
1. 4603 
185.1 
98 
Refined. 
8.94 
White, waxy 
mass, with 
tallow like 
taste. 
49.0 
192.3 
83.2 
Brownish oil, 
liquid, with 
nutlike odor, 
and sweet 
and bitter 
after taste. 
.9028 
1. 4643 
188.2 
108.7 
Cherry ker- 
8.96 
White, waxy 
49.5 
205.1 
82.8 
Straw colored, 
.8941 
1.4617 
190.6 
114 
nels. 
mass, with 
fatty odor, 
tallowy 
with slightly 
rancid odor 
and sweetish 
taste. 
bitter taste. 
From Table V it will be observed that the solid acids constitute 
only a small portion of the cherry oils. The crude oil from the pits 
shows a considerably lower percentage than either the refined oil or 
the kernel oil. The general physical properties are practically the 
same. No marked differences are noted in the melting points or in the 
neutralization value. Judging from the neutralization values it is 
very probable that the major part of the solid acids consists of stearic 
acid, which theoretically has a neutralization value of 197.5. The 
melting point of pure stearic acid is 69° C., but the commercial article 
is often contaminated with other acids and has been known to melt as 
low as 56° C. The low melting point of the solid acids in the cherry 
oils may be attributed to impurities, as the determinations were made 
without any attempt at purification. 
It may safely be assumed, therefore, that the solid acids of cherry 
oils consist chiefly of stearic acid, with possibly a slight admixture 
of palmitic acid, which has a neutralization value of 219 and a 
melting point of 62° C. 
The liquid acids comprise the largest portion of the oils. The crude 
oil from the pits was found to contain 84 per cent, the refined oil 83.2 
