137 
dion laid out in the sun to dry i in the daytime, and put under cover at 
night and on the approach of rain 
The time required to dry it varies with the weather, taking from four 
days to a week. When thoroughly dry it is done up into bales, and 
sold either to dealers in the leaves or e the distillers, E this state it 
fetches about $8 per pikul of 1334 po 
The dealers cut it up and sepa E: a 4 quantity of the larger 
stalks, and, according to its freedom from these, it is classed as Ist, 
2nd, or 3rd quality. The best consists of leaves only, and is valued at 
$30 to $32 per piku Hs but owing to the labour involved, this quality ` 
e 
young shoots with little of the heavier stalk, and ranges in price ie 
$17 to $20 per pikul. The Mee quality contains less leaf and m 
stalk, and fetches about $14 per 
The best quality of all would i uud ue by picking from the plants 
the leaves and tops of the young shoots, and dr rying these in the shade, 
but it is doubtful if it would pay. Prepar ed in this way 36 lbs. * 
green leaves produce 10 Ibs. of dried patchouli, e per-centage of 
essential oil in shedexiriod leaves is, as might be expected, higher than 
in those which have been exposed for many hours to the full heat of a 
tropical sun, which in this latitude often goes over 120° 
ADULTERATION, 
Large quantities of the leaves of a plant known by the Malayan name 
of Ruku are often mixed with ege The botanical name of this 
plant is Ocimum Basilicum, L., v Eg tmi Benth. 
I was told by Mr. Hardouin (the principal Mom of patchouli oil 
in the States) that recently a Chinaman "boug the whole of the Ruku 
growing wild in a cocoanut plantation in Praia Wellesley, and 700 
pikuls of the dried herb were collected and taken to Penang, to be used 
for the adulteration of the more valuable patchouli. Mr. Hardouin 
says he always prefers to buy the plant just as it is cut, as then it is easy 
to see if it is adulterated or dioc but if the leaves are bought it is very 
e impositi 
ku leave Aiha whiter and the stalks smaller and 
some time, this wou e re i ene except as communicating a 
twang to the i ess mro the 
as Urena lobata. e leaves are when dried much like those of the 
herb Mg is used to adulterate, bec unlike it, they are scentless. Perpulnt 
common weed all o at this Gars Settlements, andi is to be haa 
in any aantig KE the tcodble of collecting it. 
MANUFACTURE OF THE On. 
The dried patchouli is put into a large copper cylinder pem with a 
nd 
perforated false bottom and mounted on trunnions, Through one of these 
steam enters from a boiler and is soreness by a dM badit the false 
The remaining trunnion is also h and the steam, after 
t 
ae : through the leaves, passes ou ut by it and 3 info a worm immersed 
n a tube of water in the ordinary way. The pressure of steam em- 
slaved is about 10 pounds per square inch, but it varies with the size 
of the worm and the temperature of the water used to cool i 
