The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-02-26
[NTERESRIN SUNFLOHE Frs
Numerous Enquiries Received at
the Agricultural Department.

Chief Chemist Wiley Discusses the
Composition and Uses Of the Plant
Possibility OF Its Economic Utility
Edible Oil Produced From the
Secd-TheGr Medicinal Properties.
Numerous enquiries have been addressed
to the Department Of Agriculture in the
last two years in regard to the growth OF
sundowers fer economical purposes and
the manufacture of oil from their seed
For the purpose Of giving TO those inter
esLed in the matter all the information
available some Investigations have been
made in the composition of the sunf1ower,
the methods of culture and the manu-
! facture o. oil from the seed From in
vestigaticns made by the Department of
Agriculture it is not believe that any oil
factory devoted exclusively 10 the manu-
faeture of oil from sUnfower seeds is in
operation in this count-v. and il is also
evident that the product Of sunfowers at
I the present time. so far as seeds are con-
cerned, is devoted chiefly to the feeding
| of birds and poultry. and in some in
stances to medicinal purposes for cattle
and horses.
Harvey ". Wiley, Chief of the Division
of Chemistry of the Department Of Agri-
culture says in regard to the sunfower
plant:
The sunEower has long been grown IN
this country for ornamental purposes
| The beautiful yellow flowers, with dark
| centres. are particularly attractive IN
yards and gardens. In some Of the Cen
tral States the Sunfiower in much
smaller form than the cultivated plant,
grows wild IN Kansas the borders of the
wagon roads and railroads are frequently
lined for miles with these flowers, which.
in August and September, when in full
bloom. form very marked feature of the
| prairie landscape. The aesthetic influence
| Of the sun1ower has long been recognized
| in this country but il is only Of late years
| that We nave realized that it has an eco
| Homic Importance which promises to be a
| source of wealth N the future We have
| only just begun TO learn from the expert
ence OF China and Russia the economic
! value Of the plant itself
The general interest in this subject
has been evidenced by the hundreds OF
| letters which have been received in the
4 last few years from all parts Of the ccun-
try making enquiries in regard 10 the
possibility of the economic uses OF the
plant. The part Of the sunfower plant
which has the chief value is the seed The
oil expressed from the seed is highly
priced as an edible oil. and one which
more nearly than any other known yege-
table oil. has the general properties OF
the oil of the olive The Gil cake left
after the extraction Of the oil by pressure
is extremely rich in heterogeneous matter.
and has q food value equal TO the cake
resulting from the expression of maize
oil or I5nseed oil.
| In addition 70 this it has the advant-
( age of being more palatable. and there
fore viii be eaten with more ayidlty than
the other oil cakes just mentioned In
some sources OF information IL IS stated
that the leaves cf the sunhower have been
used as a substitute for tobacco, but it is
not probable that the adulteration Of to-
! baCco with sHnhower leaves has ever beer
practiced to any extent in this country
( The branches and stalk OF the suntOwer
when reduced to q sufficient state Of fine
] ness possess nutritiVe properties OF {
high order. and furnish food suitable Il
the nouTishment of many domesticateC
animals. such as horses cattle. and sheep
Perhaps the most valuable Of the products
OF the sunioWer OF 4 manufactured char
acter is the oil which. by reason Of its
paIatabiIity and sweetness. is veil suited
for table uses. and for this purpose caI
replace olive oil with better success thdI
any other known substitute
1t IS undoubtedly true that the sun
+ flower seed is valuable food when miXes
IN proper proportions with other foor
products Il improves the digestion OF h
! animal and therefore is beneficial 10 il:
health In fact the seeds are used II
large extent BY horsemen ard catJIemeI
for the purpose Of keeping animals IN eX
ce3Ient physical condition. The supposed
( efficacy Of sunfCwer seeds for the cure O
certain specific disease (as rheuHa IIsLl
for instaucej Is probably largely mythical
There is a very prevalent notion tha
the growth Of large qualities OF sundow
! crs in malariaI regions prevents the de
-alopment Of diseases Of malarial origin
Numerous enquiries in regard TO the eff
cacy OF the sunfioWer as q preventive @
malaria have been received a the depart
ment within the past few years Inasmucf
IS the sunhower IS a vigorous grower. ab-
! sorbing large quantities Of moisture anl
consuming. under proper conditions Of nj
1 triicaJion and oxidation. large quantitie:
I Of organic matter, IT is possible that The
! growth Of il over extensive areas may
/ tend 10 correct some Of The conditions II
/ the environ Eent which are supposed 10 be
/ favorable TO the development of malaria
germs. That TIE plant itself, however
has any specific influence upon maiarial
I diseases IS undoubtedly an Illusion"
In summing up his Investigations re-
| gaTdiug the uses Of the sunfOHer, Chief
| Wiley says
The sunhower is a plant which can be
groEn successfully over large areas IN jhe
United States From The chemical analy-
SIS Of The whole plant il is evident tha:
IL is q crop making considerable drain
on the elements Of soil fertilizers; there
fore it should be cultivated with proper at
/ tenJiou 10 fertilization IN order that the
! fertility Of the soil be maintained.
One Of the most valuable constituents
Of the plant i the oil which exists il
Iarge quantities in the seeds This oil Is
formed BY direct syuthesis in the process