176 PHILIPPINE RESINS, GUMS, AND OILS 
made from the Indian roots or derived from Réunion. According to Piesse,¢ 
the yield is about 10 oz. per cwt.; other observers have found it to vary 
from) 0.2"to cio sper cent) - = a> 
The odor of vetiver, Parry * says, does not resemble that of 
orris root, but has a similar effect in perfumery. Vetiver es- 
sence is obtained by treating three pounds of the dried roots 
with one gallon of alcohol. It is used in making various high- 
grade bouquet perfumes. Parry states that from the standpoint 
of practical perfumery vetiver oil is said to blend excellently 
with the odors of orris root and cassie flowers. Askinson says 
that vetiver essence consists of 2 ounces of vetiver oil dissolved 
in one gallon of alcohol, and vetiver sachet powder of 2 pounds 
of vetiver roots, 15 grains of musk, and 20 grains of civet. « 
According to Bacon,; the distillation of the greater part of 
vetiver oil is carried on in Europe. Neither the roots nor the 
oil appear to be exported from the Philippines. The roots are 
sold in the large public markets of the Philippines in small lots 
at from 15 to 25 centavos per kilo. They are usually laid away 
with clothing to impart a pleasant odor. Bacon believed that 
the cultivation and distillation of this grass offered commercial 
possibilities in the Philippines. 
Parry ¢ states that Schimmel investigated this oil and obtained 
the following results: 
Specific .eravity i202" te ee ee ee 1.019 to 1.027 
Optical: rotation: 200... eee +25° to +26° e 
Kster number (as per cent KOH)... 22 S23 7to8 
Solubility in 80 per cent alcohol........................---------- 1 in 13 to2 
Singh § distilled seven samples of vetiver roots and found that 
the yield of oil obtained varied from 0.45 to 1.14 per cent The 
resin contained in the oil was eliminated by redistillation and 
the refined oil then gave a negative optical rotation (—30.65°).« 
An extensive investigation of vetiver oil and a review of the 
literature on this subject has been made by Semmler, Risse, and 
Schroter.|| The oil used by these investigators was prepared by 
Schimmel. They obtained from vetiver oil various substances 

* Parry, E. J., Chemistry of essential oils and artificial perfumes (1908), 
page 186. 
+ Bacon, R. F., Philippine terpenes and essential oils, III. Philippine 
Journal of Science, Section A, Volume 4 (1909), page 118. 
~ Parry, E. J., Chemistry of essential oils and artificial perfumes (1908), 
page 186. 
§ Singh, Puran, American Perfumer, Volume 10 (1915-1916), page 133. 
|| Semmler, F. W., Risse, F., and Schréter, F., Berichte der Deutschen 
Chemischen Gesellschaft. Volume 45, II (1912), page 153. : 
