288 TROPICAL AGRICULTURE 



Cardamom oil is now obtained principally from India and 

 Ceylon. The oil is distilled from the commercial cardamom 

 seeds. The Ceylon seeds yield 3 to 6 per cent, of oil. The 

 chief use of cardamom oil is for flavoring purposes. 



Oil of cubebs is obtained mostly from Java. The dried cu- 

 beb fruits yield 10 to 15 per cent, of a greenish oil by the 

 process of distillation. Cubeb oil is used in medicine and 

 in flavoring liqueurs. 



Camphor oil really belongs in the same series with camphor, 

 the oil being the liquid portion and camphor the solid por- 

 tion of the product of distillation of camphor wood and leaves. 

 The oil is separated from the camphor by pressure or draining. 



Cascarilla oil is derived by distillation from the bark of 

 Croton eleutheria, a shrub native to the Bahamas. The bark 

 of this shrub yields I to 3 per cent, of an oil which is very 

 aromatic and is used in fumigating pastilles. 



Patchouli oil comes largely from Penang, Malacca, Java and 

 Mauritius. It is obtained by distillation from the leaves of 

 a perennial herb (Pogostemon patchouli) belonging to the 

 mint family. This herb grows to a height of about 2 feet. 

 The dried leaves yield by distillation 2 to 4 per cent, of oil, 

 which is chiefly used in scenting soaps and perfumery. The 

 patchouli leaves are fermented in heaps before being dis- 

 tilled. The plant has long been cultivated in the Straits Set- 

 tlements and in the islands of the Indian Ocean. The Chinese 

 seem to be particularly adept at making a success of this crop. 

 The plants attain their full height within 6 months after seed- 

 ing, at which time the first crop of leaves is taken. Two other 

 crops of leaves may be obtained at intervals of about 6 months, 

 after which the crop is replanted. 



Cummin oil is produced chiefly in Sicily, Malta, and India. 

 The fruit of the cummin yields 2 to 4 per cent, of a yellow 

 oil by distillation. Cummin oil is not extensively used. 



Pimento oil comes into the trade chiefly from the West 

 Indies. Pimento oil is also commonly known as allspice oil 



