— 38 — 



divides Ceylon citronella oils, according to their geraniol -content, into 

 three groups, shewing percentages of 56 to 60, 60 to 64, and 64 to 68 

 respectively, and proposes that they should be valued accordingly. Umney 

 believes that the difficulty of submitting the oils to examination in Ceylon 

 is not insuperable, as chemists are located in the principal centres of 

 the Island. In any case the sale of Ceylon citronella oil should be con- 

 ducted on the basis of its acetylisable constituents; whereas in the case 

 of the Java oil, which is much more valuable, the citronellal-content might 

 perhaps be made the determining factor. 



Clove Oil. As is always the case, the most widely varying rumours 

 are in circulation with regard to the yield of the crop in Zanzibar and 

 Pemba, which is now in course of being harvested. We will therefore 

 content ourselves with reproducing the report of the deputy-director of 

 the Agricultural Department in Zanzibar, dated 23 rd July, because as an 

 official communication, in spite of all its superficiality, it can to some extent 

 claim to be correct. According to this report the fruit was very late in 

 setting, with the result that it was impossible, at the date of writing, to 

 give any accurate forecast concerning the so-called "late" crop, which is 

 due towards the end of the year. This part of the crop will probably not 

 be ripe before the month of December, and its harvesting will be carried 

 on until the early spring of 1911. The reports concerning the condition 

 of the crop in the north of Pemba are slightly better than those from 

 the centre and the south of Pemba. The "early" crop will probably be 

 very slight, and with regard to this, too, the reports from the north are 

 better than those from the south of Pemba. The least favourable con- 

 ditions appear to prevail in the central districts of Pemba. In Zanzibar 

 it would seem that the early crop will be about the same all over the 

 island. The harvest will probably begin in August, and will only last a 

 short time. 



According to the official returns the harvest during the past 5 years 

 has been as follows: — 



Calendar 



Quantity 





Quantity 





(in Frazileh 



of 35 lbs.) 



Crop year 



(in Frazileh 



of 35 lbs.) 



year 



Zanzibar 



Pemba 





Zanzibar 



Pemba 



1905 



1 



91448 



374893 



1905/06 



181536 



109931 



1906 



189198 



209211 



1906/07 



56833 



202633 



1907 



179137 



460051 



1907/08 



213667 



541998 



1908 



141850 



299952 



1908/09 



165733 



449685 



1909 



102224 



435001 



1909/10 



109683 



300042 



Soon after the publication of our last Report the prices of cloves 

 receded to about M 50. — per 50 kilos, and with slight fluctuations have 

 kept more or less at that level. Naturally, as the new crop was approa- 



