ROSACEZ. 567 
poisonous action, even in the absence of emulsin, especially on 
graminivora. (Ber. Deutsch. Chem. Ges. IX. 198.) being also 
found in the germinating seeds of cress. Benzoic aldehyde or 
oil of bitter almonds is prepared on the large scale by distilling 
with water the residue of bitter almond cake left after expres- 
sion of the fixed oil, the yield being “9 per cent. on the pressed 
_ residue, while on the large scale the amount is *74 to 1°67 per 
cent, or 42 to ‘95 parts per 100 of unpressed bitter almonds, 
the variations in yield being attributed chiefly to the varying 
amount of amygdalin present. The crude oil of bitter almonds 
contains, according to Brannt, 13 per cent. of anhydrous 
hydrocyanic acid. When pure it is colourless, and has a 
specific gravity at 15° C. of 1:0430. For further particulars 
regarding the chemistry of the principles present in bitter 
almonds, we would refer the reader to Watt's Dictionary of 
Chemistry, 2nd Edition, and to Roscoe and Schorlemmer’s 
_ ‘Treatise on Organic Chemistry, from which sources the greater 
part of our information has been abstracted. 
- Commerce.—Almonds are imported into Bombay from the 
Persian Gulf in large quantities (16,000 to 20,000 ewts. an- 
nually). Value, Abushahri, Rs. 4 per Surat maund of 374 lbs.; 
Kaghaz{ (thin shelled), Rs. 12; Bunderi, of handsome appear- 
ance but having small kernels, Rs, 3; Asmani, Rs. 33. 
Almonds are also largely imported into India from Cabul, 
In addition to bitter almonds, the natives of the East use the 
following drugs which yield hydrocyanic acid: — 
Prunus Mahalib, Linn., G4vala or Gahula (Indian), 
Mahalib (Arab.), Paiwand-i-miryam (Pers.), anative of Central 
Asia and Europe, and the Quénot or Malague of the French. 
The kernels. 
Prunus Pudum, Rozb., Padma-kashtha (Ind.), a native 
of Central Asia. The bark. 
Prunus sp. ? Alabélé (Ind.). The stones. 
_ The first drug consists of small almonds of a pale buff colour, 
the skin is thin and marked with longitudinal veins ; amongst 
them a few entire stones may be found, these have very fragile 
a oe 2 Peels 
