THE OIL CONTENT OF FLAXSEED 
21 
specific gravity usually contained the greatest percentage of oil. The 
change in specific gravity, however, is not accompanied by a cor- 
responding unit change in oil content, so that such a determination 
could not be used as a reliable index of the oil rn*esent in the flaxseed. 
Table 15. — Relation 
of specific gravity of flaxseed to its oil content 
Moisture 
free basis 
Sample number 
Moisture-free basis 
Sample number 
Oil 
content 
Specific 
gravity 
Oil 
content 
Specific 
gravity 
1 
Per cent 
37.17 
37.53 
37.89 
38.72 
39.00 
39.49 
1. 1574 
1. 1601 
1. 1568 
1. 1591 
1. 1525 
1. 1358 
Per cent 
39.98 
41.12 
41.48 
41.87 
42.26 
1. 1519 
2 
8 
] . 1383 
3 
9 
1. 1361 
4 
10.. 
1.1378 
5 
11 
1. 1379 
6 
INSPECTION AND GRADING OF FLAXSEED 
Commercial standards for any commodity, to be of the greatest 
value, must be such as to classify the commodity according to its 
value for those industries for which it is most extensively used. 
The grades in these standards should be definite enough to insure 
uniformity of application, simple enough to be practicable of appli- 
cation where the commodity is first marketed, and stringent enough 
to indicate real differences in value. 
Flaxseed or linseed, as it is sometimes called, is used almost entirely 
for the production of linseed oil. If the standardized grades are 
to be of value to the industry for which the product is destined, 
therefore, grading factors for flaxseed must be used which reflect 
both the quality and quantity of the oil in the seed. 
At the present time, quality and value of a given lot of flaxseed 
are judged largely from a knowledge of the area in which it was 
produced and by such physical factors as relate to its general appear- 
ance and condition. Test weight per measured bushel, absence of 
damaged seed and of foreign material, and freedom from excessive 
moisture and objectionable odors, enter largely into the grade now 
given to any lot of seed. 
FOREIGN FLAXSEED 
Most of the foreign-grown flaxseed entering the United States is 
bought on the standard form of contract of the Linseed Association 
of New York. This is an association of crushers, brokers, and com- 
mission men who deal in flaxseed and other oil-bearing seeds. The 
aim of the association is to regulate trade conditions in flaxseed and 
to provide suitable contracts and certificates of analysis for buyers 
and sellers. 
The seed is analyzed for purity, percentage of oil-bearing and 
of nonoil-bearing seeds, and percentage of linseed oil in the pure 
seed. Settlement is on the basis of 56 pounds to the bushel. 
The contracts differ depending upon the source of the seed. The 
basis for La Plata or Argentine seed is DO per cent purity. Other 
