YDANG-YLANG OIL. 67 



In general, the distillers do not own their own groves of jdang-ylang 

 trees, and the market for the flowers in the region around Manila is in 

 a very unsatisfactory condition for the distiller. The large number of 

 distilleries in Manila causes keen comjDetition for the flowers; as a 

 result the quality sold is very poor and the price is high. One of the 

 largest firms in this business states that the flowers are of a much poorer 

 grade during the past few years than they were several years ago. 



The flowers are usually picked in the night and are collected in small 

 lots early in the morning by native brokers who deliver them at the dis- 

 tilleries. The natives make a practice of wetting the flowers with as 

 much water as they will absorb and there will often be leaves, twigs, and 

 other substances mixed in with them to add weight. The distillers 

 hardly dare refuse such materials, although the quality is poor, for fear 

 their supply may" be altogether cut off. I should estimate that over 

 three-fourths of the flowers brought to the distillers in Manila are un- 

 ripe and. green, although the ripe, yellow product gives a larger yield of 

 much superior oil. The price of flowers in Manila varies from 20 to 

 40 centavos, Philippine currencj', per kilo, the average probably being 

 as high as 30 centavos.'' Many people in the Islands have an idea that 

 the ylang-ylang distillers make a tremendous profit. From my observa- 

 tion, of the business I can not believe this opinion to be well founded. 

 It probably requires on an average 350 kilos of flowers to produce 1 

 kilo of first-class oil and this amount will also probably give an ad- 

 ditional three-quarters of a kilo of second-class oil. Thus the flowers 

 for 1 kilo of first-class oil will jirobably cost 115 pesos, Philippine 

 currency, and after the cost of steam and water used, of skilled supervi- 

 sion, interest and depreciation of the plant are added only a legitimate 

 jDrofit is left. The grower seems to be the one who makes the large 

 profits in this industry, as I have heard of trees being sublet by the 

 year for 2 pesos per month, the renter expecting to make a profit 

 from the flowers which he can pick from the tree. This would mean a 

 production of at least 80 kilos of flowers from one tree during a year. 

 We have no figures, nor have we been able to obtain any reliable data 

 on the point of the yield of flowers from one tree, but there is no doubt 

 but that large trees bear very luxuriantly. In Manila, the best flow- 

 ers are usually obtained in May and June, but the season just passed 



^ In Piesse's Art of Perfumery, London, (1891), 134, is found an interesting 

 error in the statement that ylang-ylang flowers are adulterated with flowers of 

 champaca {ilichelia cliampaca Linn.) to cheapen the quality of the oil. As a 

 matter of fact champaca flowers sell in Manila for as high as 1 peso, Philippine 

 currency, per kilo with a good demand as compared to ylang-ylang flowers at about 

 30 centavos, Philippine currency, per kilo, and oil of champaca is much more ex- 

 pensive than oil of ylang-ylang. An idea prevails in Manila that the distillers 

 make much money by sorting out the champaca 'flowers from the ylang-ylang 

 flowers, as in some localities both classes of trees grow in the same grove. This 

 idea is also erroneous. 



