The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1908-09-17
Cotton Seed Oil.
Mr.. David Wesson, Inventor of
the Wesson Process, of Re-
6ning, Talks Of ltsManyExcel
lencies as an Article of Food.
Charlotte Observer.

lencies as an Article of Food.
Charlotte Observer.
Mr.. David Wesson, of New York,
manager Of the technical depart
ment of the Southern Oil Company,
is spending Il few days in Charlotte.
Knowing Mr.. Wesson's close interest
in all matters connected with the in
dustry as we'll as his expert know1-
edge, he was called upon by d
representative OF the Observer yes
terday and induced to talk on the
subject. He said that cotton seed
oil first came under his observation
i'll 1884 when he was in the employ
OF \. *. Fairbank 4 Co., OF Chicago.
1t was then refined by rule of thumb
methods with excessive loss. The
product had Il rough, harsh flavor
and was worked into what was called
''refned lard" For domestic purposes
30 to 40 per cent. was considered q
very large quantity to Use, along with
pure hog lard and Oleo- stearine.
About 1SSS-1SS9. Il mixture con
sisting of very carefully selected re-
fined yellow Oil and pressed beef fat
known AS 'Cottolene' was placed on
the market. In frying it gave Off an
unpleasant OdOr and on account Of
the great difficulty in obtaining IL
uniform refined oil this prototype OF
the modern hogless cooking fats was
not at that time much OF u success.
The great difficulty with the cot
ton seed oil of those days was lack
of uniformity owing to various eli
mate and local conditions affecting
the seed from different parts of the
country. Refiners would start peO-
pie to using the oil for cooking and
salads and the users would be very
enthusiastic till Il change in the char
acter OF the seed would make it i'm
possible Tor the retinerS to turn out
anything but arank Favored product
which when used would cause moth
ing but prejudice against cotton seed
oil forever in the minds OF the user.
In this manner the product has been
greatly retarded in it's development.
1t remained for science to improve
refining methods so that regardless
Of local conditions of soil and wealth
er, the rank peanut-havOred oil of
the CarOlinas and the grainy tasting
product OfAlabama seed will all pass
through the refinery and come out
tasteless and Odorless, suitable for
the housewife and baker to use every
where, that clean, sweet fat can be
needed in the preparation of food.
| The invention of the "Wesson pro-
cess i'll 1900 has probably done
more than any one thing to put cot
ton seed oil on it's present basis. 1t
is difficult to estimate its great value
to the South by making the oil OF
the cotton seed as staple an article
as Granulated sugar. 1t means bet
| ter returns to the farmer for the seed
to the crude oil mill for it's oil and to
all the people of the country a acheap,
wholesome food, the production of
which goes steadily on regardless of
weather from year to year.
The oil and it's compounds can be
used in the place of butter and cream
as we'll as lard and olive oil.
When fresh from the refinery the
oilitis absolutely tasteless. By whip
ping up with yolk of fresh eggs and
adding a little sugar and water so as
to make perfect emulsion, we have
an artificial cream containing a sweet
vegetable oil in place OF butter fat.
This can be used instead of the COW
product in ice cream.
1t was one of the features OF the
jamestown Exposition and called by
! the Judges ''cowless cream"
For several months it was used bi
some of the young men OF the lunch
club of the Southern Cotton OilCom-
pany as cream in their coffee. They
preferred it to condensed milk.
Refined cotton seed oil is now used
by many physicians of the South in
stead of cod-liver oil for consump-
ton. This is rational because the
consumptive patient needs concen-
trated nourishment, and a sweet veg
etable oil is better for the purpose
than a rank fish oil.
The great difficulty in teaching
people to Use an oil in the place OF
lard is their habit OF using Il solid
fat. After great trouble ''Snowdrift'
was placed on the market. 1t is
nothing but the highest refined oil
stiffened up with choice pressed beef
fat, called in the trade "oleo-stear-
inc
If the law would permit the addi-
tion of salt water and color. ''Snow-
drift" would make an excellent imi-
tatiOn butter.