156 
On  Cotton  Seeds. 
/Am.  Jotjb.  Phakm. 
\    April  1, 1872. 
meal  for  stock,  and  supersedes  the  use  of  it  in  the  cotton-growing 
States.  The  hulls  are  piled  in  heaps  until  they  arrive  at  the  right 
state  of  decomposition  to  be  used  as  a  fertilizer,  for  which  they  are 
well  adapted,  being  rich  in  the  phosphates  and  lime,  characteristic  of 
substances  used  for  this  purpose.  The  seeds  contain  a  fixed  oil  to  the 
amount  of  about  thirty-seven  per  cent,  of  the  weight  of  the  kernel, 
most  of  which  is  obtained  by  expression. 
At  the  factory  on  Long  Island,  which  the  writer  visited,  the  seeds 
are  bought  with  the  hulls  on,  although  the  whole  kernel  is  generally 
bought  directly  from  the  planter.  These  are  first  thrown  into  a  gin, 
which  separates  some  more  of  the  lint.  This  is  packed  in  bundles  and 
sold  for  ordinary  cotton  batting.  From  this  they  are  conveyed  to  the 
hullers  and  undergo  the  decorticating  process.  The  kernel  is  then 
carried  by  an  elevator  to  a  box,  which  feeds  two  large  iron  rollers, 
converting  it  into  meal ;  the  meal  is  put  into  a  large  vessel  heated  by 
steam,  to  render  the  oil  more  fluid,  and  then  is  put  between  iron  plates, 
which  are  forced  together  by  hydraulic  pressure,  which  presses  out 
nearly  all  the  oil  and  some  mucilage.  About  eight  per  cent,  of  oil  is 
left,  which  cannot  be  removed  except  by  solvents.  This  oil,  as  then 
obtained,  is  of  a  handsome  dark  wine  color  and  sweet  taste.  This 
then  undergoes  the  purifying  and  bleaching  process,  which  is  kept  a 
secret  by  the  manufacturers. 
The  purified  oil  is  either  a  golden  yellow  or  white  color.  An  oil  is 
also  produced  by  chilling  the  purified  oil,  and  expressing,  to  obtain  a 
variety  almost  free  from  stearine,  called  by  the  manufacturers  "  win- 
ter oil,"  from  the  fact  that  cold  will  not  thicken  it. 
This  oil  is  used  extensively  in  the  arts,  chiefly  to  adulterate  and 
substitute  higher  priced  oils.  Cheap  paints  are  ground  in  it,  and  it  is 
used  to  a  certain  extent  to  adulterate  linseed  oil.  But,  being  a  non- 
drying  oil,  only  a  small  per  centage  could  be  used. 
It  is  also  used  for  adulterating  sperm  oil  for  burning,  and  for  mix- 
ing with  lard  oil.  The  most  practical  way  to  detect  these  is  to  heat 
the  suspected  oil  with  distilled  water ;  separate  the  water  and  add  a 
solution  of  subacetate  of  lead.  If  it  contained  cotton-seed  oil,  a  white 
precipitate  will  be  formed,  on  account  of  the  presence  of  mucilage, 
which  is  always  found  in  this  oil.*  If  the  sperm  or  lard  oil  is  pure,  it 
would  be  indicated  by  the  absence  of  any  milkiness. 
*  Even  after  it  has  been  purified  ? 
Ed.  Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
