OLEUM  GOSSYPII. 
209 
root  had  been  used  to  produce  abortion,  but  the  information  I 
acquired  would  in  nowise  substantiate  this  report. 
That  the  root  does  possess  emmenagogue  properties,  I  do  not 
presume  to  deny,  but  its  efficacy  as  an  "abortifacient,"  I  cer- 
tainly disbelieve. 
The  seeds  as  taken  from  the  gin  are  of  a  grayish-brown 
color,  owing  to  the  short  down  which  still  adheres  to  them  ;  rub 
this  off,  and  they  are  of  a  dark  brown,  almost  black,  color. 
Though  long  known  to  contain  a  large  amount  of  fixed  oil,  yet 
until  within  a  few  years  but  little  has  been  manufactured  from 
them.  On  the  plantation,  they  are  used  chiefly  as  fodder  for 
cows  in  the  winter.  The  oil  is  obtained  by  expression,  the  pro- 
cess and  apparatus  being  similar  to  that  for  obtaining  linseed 
oil ;  the  seeds  are  first  deprived  of  their  shells.  Four  qualities 
of  this  oil  are  found  in  our  market,  viz. ;  crude,  clarified,  refined 
and  winter  bleached.  The  crude  constitutes  the  oil  just  as  it 
runs  from  the  mill  ;  it  is  thick,  has  a  muddy  appearance,  and 
deposits  upon  standing  a  portion  of  its  impurities.  The  clarified 
is  comparatively  pure,  of  a  deep  orange  color,  and  quite  limpid. 
The  refined  is  a  very  pure  oil,  not  quite  so  dark  colored  as  the 
clarified,  and  very  limpid.  The  winter  bleached  is  of  a  pale 
straw  color,  has  rather  an  earthy,  though  not  very  strong  odor, 
and  a  sweet,  bland,  nut-oil  taste,  not  dissimilar  to  that  of  sweet 
almond  oil.  The  process  of  refining  the  crude  oil  is  at  present 
a  secret  among  the  manufacturers,  so  I  am  unable  to  give  any 
account  of  it.  The  shelled  seed  yield  about  two  gallons  of  crude 
oil  to  the  bushel,  and  forty- five  per  cent,  of  oil  cake.  At  Mobile, 
the  seed  as  it  comes  from  the  gin,  can  be  bought  for  twenty- 
five  or  thirty  cents  a  bushel ;  here  at  the  mill,  shelled,  it  is 
worth  one  dollar.  The  crude  oil  sells  for  fifty,  the  clarified 
sixty,  the  refined  seventy,  and  the  winter  bleached  eighty  cents 
a  gallon. 
Cotton-seed  oil  is  largely  consumed  in  the  manufacture  of 
woollen  goods,  and  is  said  to  answer  equally  as  well  as  any  oil 
now  in  use.  It  is  also  adapted  to  the  use  of  morocco  dressers, 
by  whom  I  am  informed  it  is  extensively  employed.  I  learn 
also  from  good  authority,  that  it  makes  a  very  fine  soap,  and  is 
used  by  the  fancy  soap  manufacturers,  for  that  purpose. 
Although  said  to  be  a  drying  oil,  my  experience  goes  to  prove 
14 
