178 PHILIPPINE RESINS, GUMS, AND OILS 



made from the Indian roots or derived from Reunion. According to Piesse, 

 tlie yield is about 10 oz. per cwt.; other observers have found it to vary 

 from 0.2 to 3.5 per cent. * * * 



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, t 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 gravity _ 1.019 to 1.027 



Optical rotation +25° to +26° 



Ester number (as per cent KOH) 7 to 8 



Solubility in 80 per cent alcohol 1 in li to 2 



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. 



t Bacon, R. P., Philippine terpenes and essential oils, III. Philippine 

 Journal of Science, Section A, Volume 4 (1909), page 118. 



X Parry, E. J., Chemistry of essential oils and artificial perfumes (1908), 

 page 186. 



§ Singh, Puran, American Perfumer, Volume 10 (1915-1916), page 133. 



il Semmler, F. W., Risse, F., and Schroter, F., Berichte der Deutschen 

 Chemischen Gesellschaft. Volume 45, II (1912), page 153. 



