ORIGANUM OIL OTTO OF ROSES 



69 



ton, it has risen to the prohibitive rate of 200 per ton, 

 and the 1917 oil still remains in store at Alexandria. 



The supply of the wild plant is limited and its culti- 

 vation is under consideration. 



The following table shows the exports of origanum oil 

 in recent years : 



Yar. 



1902 

 1903 

 1904 



1905 

 1906 

 1907 

 1908 

 1909 

 1910 



No distillation 



Quantity. 



Ib. 



2,276 

 2,230 

 2,455 

 3,776 

 3,7<>9 

 2,756 

 2,696 

 2,066 



1 A quant ty of stored plant was destroyed by fire, reducing the output. 



Marjoram Oil 



This is not yet a regular product, but samples of locally 

 produced oil have been examined at the Imperial Institute 

 and pronounced to be superior to European marjoram oil 

 and about equal in value to sweet fennel oil (see BULLETIN 

 OF THE IMPERIAL INSTITUTE, vol. xi. 1913, p. 50). It is 

 distilled from a plant which is abundant in the forests 

 of Kyrenia and Paphos, and which has been referred by 

 Dr. Stapf to O. majoranoides, Wild., and by Mr. Holmes 

 to 0. Maru, Linn. The market is, however, restricted. 



Laurel Oil 



Samples of oil distilled from the leaves of Laurus 

 nobilis which were examined at the Imperial Institute 

 were found to have an aroma inferior to that of the oils 

 usually met with in commerce (see BULLETIN OF THE 

 IMPERIAL INSTITUTE, vol. xi. 1913, p. 430). The demand 

 for the oil is said to be small. 



Otto of Roses 



This has been prepared since 1897 in a very small way 

 with native stills at the village of Milikouri, where the 

 Damask rose is abundant. The cultivation of this rose 



