4 BULLETIN 1471, U. S. DEPARTMENT OE AGRICULTURE 
analyzed for their oil content. 1 The data from these studies are 
given by classes in Table 2. 
Table 2. — Oil content 1 of flaxseed of the commercial classes 
Northwestern seed (domestic): 
Tota(l number of samples 
Average percentage of oil 
Maximum percentage of oil 
Minimum percentage of oil 
Range in on content 
Northwestern seed (Canadian): 
Total number of samples 
Average percentage of oil 
Maximum percentage of oil 
Minimum percentage of oil 
Range in oil content 
Southwestern seed: 
Total number of samples 
Average percentage of oil 
Maximum percentage of oil 
Minimum percentage of oil 
Range in oil content 
Fiber flaxseed: 
Total number of samples 
Average percentage of oil 
Maximum percentage of oil 
Minimum percentage of oil 
Range in oil content 
Foreign-grown seed (Argentine): 
Total number of samples 
Average percentage of oil 
Maximum percentage of oil 
Minimum percentage of oil 
Range in oil content 
Foreign-grown seed (Indian): 
Total number of samples 
Average percentage of oil 
Maximum percentage of oil 
Minimum percentage of oil 
Range in oil content 
Foreign-grown seed (Manchurian): 
Total number of samples 
Average percentage of oil 
Maximum percentage of oil 
Minimum percentage of oil 
Range in oil content 
Crop year ; 
1918 1919 
144 
40. 50 
43.47 
35. 89 
7. .58 
84 
40.00 
45.25 
36.29 
8.96 
25 
35.67 
36.25 
33.93 
2.32 
41.11 
43.04 
35.09 
7.95 
29 
42. 99 
44.62 
41. 54 
3.08 
1920 
211 
40. 19 
43. 05 
35.29 
7.76 
20 
40. 58 
42.06 
39. 85 
2.21 
10 
37.47 
38.78 
35.01 
3.77 
38.80 
41.86 
34.44 
7.42 
101 
42. 16 42. 89 
44. 90 44. 16 
32. 71 I 41. 54 
12. 19 2. 62 
1921 1922 1923 
39. 97 
43. 30 
33.63 
9.67 
72 
41.34 
43.23 
38.67 
4.56 
23 
39.45 
42.04 
37.53 
4.51 
17 
40.02 
41.46 
38.55 
2.91 
22 
42.11 
45.42 
40.14 
5.28 
3 
40.83 
43. 25 
37. 52 
5.73 
625 
40.46 
43. 98 
33.34 
10.64 
218 
41.12 
44.01 
38.94 
5.07 
22 
38.72 
40.44 
37.08 
3.36 
72 
42.11 
44.48 
36.31 
8.17 
17 
43. 45 
44.48 
37.29 
7.19 
1.237 
40.70 
45. 40 
30.30 
15.10 
23 
42.67 
43.40 
40.40 
3.00 
37 
40.83 
44.37 
38.30 
6.07 
1924 
490 
41.11 
46.43 
35.73 
10.70 
43.57 
44.81 
41.19 
3.62 
61 
38.73 
44.87 
34.57 
10.30 
5 
39.55 
40.77 
36.13 
4.64 
41.40 
41.53 
41.36 
.17 
Yearly 
average 
3 3, 507 
40.42 
44.41 
34 35 
10.06 
3 333 
41. 43 
43.18 
39.46 
3.72 
3 178 
38.48 
41.12 
36.07 
5.05 
329 
39.46 
41.36 
36.37 
4.99 
3 274 
42.19 
44.05 
38.33 
5.71 
329 
42.99 
44.62 
41.54 
3.08 
3 20 
42.14 
43,87 
37.40 
6.46 
i Moisture-free basis. 
2 Beginning Sept. 1. 
3 Total number of samples analyzed. 
The highest average oil content was found in the samples of im- 
ported flaxseed. With the exception of a few samples of Indian 
flaxseed obtained in 1918. which had an average oil content of 42.99 
per cent, the greatest quantity of oil was found in Argentine seed. 
The average oil content of the 274 samples of Argentine seed was 
42.19 per cent. 
There was a difference between the oil content of the flaxseed 
grown in the Northwestern States and that grown in the south- 
western portion of the United States. The northwestern-grown 
flaxseed averaged 40.42 per cent, whereas the southwestern-grown 
flaxseed contained, on the average, 38.48 per cent of oil. 
Canadian-grown seed, as analyzed, had a higher oil content than 
did the domestic northwestern-grown seed. The average oil content 
of the samples analyzed was 41.43 per cent. 1 per cent above the 
average of the domestic crop. 
By the method adopted by the Association of Official Agricultural Chemists (7), 
Figures in italic in parentheses refer to " Literature cited," p. 33. 
