as they rise to the surface. The water dissolves the
mucilage and starch, and the heat coagulates the albumen, which forms
a whitish layer between the oil and water. The clear oil is now
removed, and boiled with a minute portion of water until aqueous
vapors cease to arise: by this process an acrid volatile matter is got
rid of. The oil is put into barrels, and in this way is sent into the
market. American oil has the reputation of being adulterated with
olive oil. Good seeds yield about 25 per cent. of oil. A large
proportion of the drug consumed in the eastern section of the Union is
derived by way of New Orleans from Illinois and the neighbouring
States, where it is so abundant that it is sometimes used for burning
in lamps.

In Jamaica the bruised seeds are boiled with water in an iron pot, and
the liquid kept constantly stirred. The oil which separates swims on
the top, mixed with a white froth, and is skimmed off. The skimmings
are heated in a small iron pot, and strained through a cloth. When
cold it is put in jars or bottles for use.

Castor oil imported. Retained.
lbs. lbs.
1826 263,382 453,072
1831 393,191 327,940
1836 981,585 809,559
1841 871,136 732,720
1846 1,477,168 --
1849 1,084,272 --
1850 3,495,632 --

The imports of castor oil come chiefly from the East India Company's
possessions, and were as follows, nearly all being retained for home
consumption:--

lbs.
1830 490,558
1831 343,373
1832 257,386
1833 316,779
1834 685,457
1835 1,107,115
1836 972,552
1837 957,164
1838 837,143
1839 916,370
1840 1,190,173
1841 869,947
1842 490,156
1843 717,696

In 1841, 12,406 Indian maunds of castor oil were shipped from Calcutta
alone, and 7,906 ditto in 1842.

In 1842, 8 cases were shipped from Ceylon, 10 in 1843, 24 in 1844, and
14 in 1845.

1,439 barrels were shipped from New Orleans in 1847. The quantity
brought down to that city from the interior was 1,394 barrels in 1848,
and 1,337 barrels in 1849.

Within the last year or two, an attempt has been made to introduce the
cake obtained in expressing the seeds of the castor oil plant as a