284  Bechi' s  Test  for  Cotton-Seed  Oil.  {Amju™*imaTm- 
appearance  as  No.  3.,  while  No.  2,  acquires  the  characteristic  color.  If 
the  oil  in  tube  No.  1.  has  been  sophisticated  with  cotton  oil  the  brown- 
ish coloration  will  soon  appear,  while  tube  No.  2.  will  be  a  much  deeper 
brown ;  evidently  showing  that  the  brownish  color  is  due,  in  part,  to 
the  quantity  of  cotton  seed  oil  present,  as  well  as  the  proportion  of  sil- 
ver nitrate,  and  oil  of  rape. 
From  all  that  has  been  presented  and  more  especially  from  the  clear, 
concording  and  uniform  results,  obtained  in  the  experiments  herein 
detailed,  it  is  evident  that  the  method  proposed  by  Professor  Bechi, 
used  with  care,  and  in  the  manner  indicated,  has  not  failed  the  Com- 
mission in  a  single  instance  and  they  feel  that  they  cannot  do  less,  than 
to  most  strongly  urge  its  general  adoption,  as  a  reliable  and  positive 
indicator  for  the  existence  of  cotton  seed  oil  in  olive  oil,  fraudulently 
added. 
As  a  matter  of  interest,  the  translator  has  made  some  experiments 
and  prepared,  for  your  inspection,  a  number  of  samples,  showing  the 
results  with  the  "  Bechi  Test,"  upon  a  collection  of  fixed  oils  in  general 
and  some  pure  olive  oils  in  particular. 
No.  1.  Pure  olive  oil  expressed  from  the  imported  fruit,  by  Mr. 
Rich.  M.  Shoemaker,  kindly  furnished  by  Professor  Maisch.  * 
No.  2.  Is  No.  1.  tested ;  darker,  somewhat  reddish,  but  transparent. 
No.  3.  Is  No.  1.  with  one  half  cotton  seed  oil,  tested  ;  deep  brownish- 
black  turbidity  and  partial  precipitate. 
No.  4.  Olive  oil,  imported  in  Florence  flasks,  obtained  from  Prof. 
Maisch. 
No.  5.  Is  No.  4.  tested ;  it  bears  a  close  resemblance  to  No.  2. 
No.  6.  An  equal  mixture  of  No.  4.  and  cotton  seed  oil,  tested;  re- 
sembles No.  3. 
No.  7.  Mestrezat  olive  oil. 
No.  8.  The  same,  tested ;  slightly  reddish,  transparent. 
No.  9.  Is  No.  7.  with  cotton  seed  oil,  tested ;  turbid,  deep  brownish- 
black,  partially  precipitated. 
No.  10.  Pure  rape  oil,  tested  ;  it  is  not  unlike,  in  appearance,  that 
of  No.  8. 
No.  11.  Cotton  seed  oil,  made  by  the  Union  Salad  Company. 
No.  12.  The  same,  tested  ;  deep  black  turbidity  and  precipitate. 
No.  13.  Oil  of  sesame. 
No.  14.  The  same,  tested  ;  slight  reddish  tinge,  but  perfectly  trans- 
parent. 
