108 ■ LABIATJE. 



m 



the oil distilled at Mitcham, which contains, besides menthol, 

 several hydrocarbons of the formulas C^^H^^ andC^^H^^ and 

 having a terebinthinate somewhat lemon-like odour. {StilU 

 and Maisch.) 



Commerce. — Chinese oil of peppeitaint and menthol are 

 imported into India in quarter-catty flat bottles, bearing a 

 Chinese label. Four or more of these bottles are packed in a tin 

 box. The Japanese oil is packed in tins of various sizes and 

 has generally an English labels much of it is of very inferior 

 quality, the menthol having been separated. Cooking's i& th® 

 best brand, and is packed in glass bottles with paper cases. 

 Value— oil, Rs. 4 to 5 per lb. ; menthol, Rs. 8 per lb. 



peppermint are Mentha 



y 



Wilkl 



Micromeria capitellata, Benth,, a native of Behar 



the Western Himal 



native properties. 



peppermint 



^ 



ORIGANUM MA^JORANA, Unn. 



f 

 I 

 ^ 



¥ig,'-Woodv. Med. Bot. t. 165. Sweet Marjoram [Eng ), 

 Marjolaine {Fr.). 



Hab. — Portugal to Western Asia, Cultivated in India. 

 The herb. 



Vemacular. — Marwa {Indian Bazars). 



History, Uses, &C. — The name opt>vo.., m modern Greek 



P^V*"", was applied in ancient times to plants of this genus, but 

 O. marjorana was distinguished by the names a-afxfvxo" and 

 ajxapoKos, ^ A Gi-eek myth informs us that Amaracus was a page 



ho one day on letting fall a vessel of 

 itened that he was turned into this 

 Romans decorated the newly married 



w Luo iiiug oi \jyprus, \' 



perfume became so frig 

 plant. The Greeks and 

 with it. Catullus says : 



Cinga terapora Horibus 

 Suaveolentis Amaraci. 



