414 SCITAMTNEM 



petroleum. The middle fraction^ after further puvlfieatlon l)y 

 distillation in a vacuum, gave, as a mean result of several 





analyses, 83'62 per cent, carbon and 10"42 hydrogen, ogrcein 

 nearly with the formula 0^^ 11^'^ 0, which requires 83-81 0. 

 and 10 29 H, Turmerol is a pale yellow oil having a pleasant 

 aromatic smell, and a density of 0*901G at J 7^. It is optically 

 dextrogyrate, [a] = 33-52. Tinder ordinary pressure it boils at 

 280^^ to 29G*^j but decomposes at the same time, yielding a sub- 



stance of lower boiling point. {Am^r, Cliem. JoHrn^jT-Y., pp. obH- 

 374.) Schimmel and Co. (Bcncht, Oct 1890) state that during a 

 scientific investigation of Curcuma oil they proved it to contam 

 IVwllandrene. 



Commerce. —T^lie bulk of the turmeric cultivated in India is 

 consumed in the East as a dye and condiment, and the con- 

 sumption must be very large as every one uses it. Full parti- 

 culars cannot be learned, but a trans-frontier trade exists, and 

 the various Indian ports exchanged in 1886-87, 281,117 cwts., 

 valued at Es. 24,38,260. During 5 years from 1884 to 1888 

 Tuticorin exported 6,802 cwts. of turmeric at the average 

 valuation of Rs. 7-8 per cwt. In the foreign trade turmeric is 

 treated as a dye, and the statistics include the wild or Cochin 

 kind. In ] 885-86 the exports wore 156,287 c^Yts., valued at 

 Us. 14,00,000; in 1886-87, 140,994, cwts. Avere exported, valued 

 at Rs. 10,32,025. The trade fluctuates greatly: in 1881 -82 

 only 70,783 cw^ts. were exported; in 1876-77, 123,824 cwts. 



K^MPFERIA GAL.ANG A, Linn. 



Fig. — Rose. SciL, t 92; Wight Ic, t. 899; E/iecde, Hort. 



Mai. xi., t. 4:). 



Hab. — lu the plains throughout British India. The tubci-s. 



VcniacuIar.—Chandva-mula (Hind.), Chandu-miila, Iluuiuhi 

 (Bo?i7.), Kachula-kalangu {3Ial., Taw.), Chaudra-mnla, ITtncu 

 {Mar.), Kapiir-kachri {Giiz.). 



r 



History, Uses, &C.--Thc plant is called Chandra-mula 

 or Oumdra-uiuliku iu ^uiskrit, hut it is not mentioned in (he 



