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The oil of commerce is chiefly prepared from cultivated Ceylon and 

 Malabar cardamoms (from Elettaria Cardamomum White et Maton). Its sp. 

 gr. is from 0,929 to 0,947, and its rotatory index from +22,2 to +40°; 

 it is soluble in 3 to 4 vol. of 70°/o alcohol. Under proper conditions it 

 keeps at least as well as do most other essential oils. Oils from wild and 

 other cardamoms have a lower sp. gr., less rotation and sometimes also 

 a less satisfactory odour. They should be rejected. 



On the ground of this information, Beringer proposes that if cardamom 

 oil should be incorporated into the National Formulary, it should be required 

 to answer the following tests: di 5 o 0,924 to 0,947, « D25 o+22 to +40°, 

 soluble in 4 vol. 70°/o alcohol. 



Beringer next attacks specially the statement in Gildemeister and 

 Hoffmann's book 1 ), which he stigmatises as an "unqualified statement", 

 to the effect that the cardamom oil of commerce is not obtained from 

 the official Malabar cardamoms but from the long Ceylon cardamoms 

 (Elettaria Cardamomum var. ft. Fluckiger, Syn. : Elettaria major Smith). He 

 points out that in Ceylon the cultivation of Elettaria Cardamomum White 

 et Maton has been carried on with great success since 1881 and that in 

 respect of appearance and quality the fruit is steadily beginning to equal 

 the best Malabar cardamoms. Beringer asserts that "Ceylon Malabar 

 cardamoms" are now a current commercial product and that the "Mysore" 

 variety is also cultivated in the island. On the other hand, according to 

 Beringer, wild Ceylon cardamoms are without any commercial importance, 

 and are probably scarcely used for distilling, as they yield an inferior oil. 

 As this agrees with the experience of Parry and others, Beringer considers 

 that the references to the subject in Gildemeister and Hoffmann's book 

 require correction. 



We may observe on this point that at the time when Gildemeister and 

 Hoffmann made their statements relating to Ceylon cardamom oil, i. e. in 

 the year 1899, those statements were completely in accordance with fact. 

 But as long ago as the year 1901 we pointed out 2 ) that we no longer 

 distilled the oil from the seed and pods of Elettaria Cardamomum var. /2. 

 but from the decorticated seed of another species of cardamom. This seed, 

 which is brought into trade under the name of "cardamom seeds" has 

 been examined, at our instance, by Dr. Giessler, Curator of the Botanical 

 Institute, Leipzig University, and was found to be in fact identical with 

 the seed of Elettaria Cardamomum White et Maton. It is, therefore, identical 

 with Beringer's "Ceylon-Malabar cardamoms". The oil also resembles that 

 obtained from Malabar cardamoms. We have found oils distilled by 

 ourselves to possess the following range of values: di 5 o 0,923 to 0,941, 

 « D + 24 to +39°, n D20O 1,461 to 1,467, acid no. up to 4,0, ester no. 94 



x ) Gildemeister and Hoffmann, The Volatile Oils, p. 315. 

 '-') Report October 1901, 14. 



