234 
EDITORIAL OBSERVATIONS. 
grown in great quantities, its clean cultivation is much 
neglected ; and it is not an unusual circumstance to see 
almost as much mustard as rape in the same plot of ground. 
The poisonous properties of mustard are due to an essen- 
tial oil, which may be obtained by digestion of the cake in 
either cold or tepid water; but if boiling water be employed 
for the purpose, the oil is said not to be evolved. It is there- 
fore of importance that all rape-cake should be exposed to a 
temperature of 212° before it is given to cattle either alone 
or mixed with other food. 
Many other equally injurious agents are employed for the 
adulteration of oil-cake ; and in the discussion on this subject 
by the members of the Royal Agricultural Society, it was 
remarked by Mr. Fisher Hobbs, C£ that it had recently come 
to his knowledge that eight or ten bullocks were poisoned by 
eating cake adulterated with refuse bitter-almond cake, and 
which was consequently impregnated to a certain amount 
with the prussic acid that substance is known to yield. 
Ritter almonds are poisonous, as Dr. Fresenius, of Wiesbaden, 
has remarked, because on mastication there is formed in them 
an ethereal oil containing two substances separable from each 
other, namely, prussic acid and pure bitter-almond oil, both 
of which are poisonous. Ritter almonds and black mustard 
seed are also very similar to each other in their chemical 
relation ; each contained the same kind of acid and the same 
vegetable principle. Ritter almonds yield about 28 per 
cent, of fixed oil, and 72 per cent, of cake. In reference to 
the comparative value of cake of the same substance, the 
Raron Weckherlin had stated that the hydraulic press fur- 
nished worse cake than the old ordinary presses, in conse- 
quence of its greater pressure leaving no oil, but only bitter 
matter behind in the cake ; and Professor Pabst, of Hohen- 
heim, in reference to inferior or poisonous oil-cake, had 
observed that the beech-nut cake had been found poisonous 
to horses, and whether poisonous or not to cattle, it would be 
injudicious to use it.” 
Resides the employment of substances which are positively 
injurious, other materials are sometimes used which deterio- 
