— 52 — 



from the end of July. According to it the supplies were scarce, but in spite 

 of this it was questionable whether the value could be maintained, unless, 

 indeed, a strong demand should set in from Europe. At the same time, 

 however, it is expressly stated that the prospects are unfavourable, one 

 district, for instance, which has hitherto produced 8000 kilos, will, it is 

 said, yield barely 1000 kilos this year. Up to the end of June the exports 

 amounted to 29 103 kilos, as compared with 44 140 kilos in the corresponding 

 period of last year. For the present, as already mentioned, the position 

 of the article is very firm, and although the existence of considerable stocks 

 in Europe must be taken into account, we yet incline to the view that, 

 at any rate in the next few months, higher prices will be the rule. 



In our Autumn Report 1 ) of last year we mentioned a Reunion geranium 

 oil investigation in which the presence in the oil of «-terpineol among 

 other bodies was determined. At the time we were unable to obtain this 

 alcohol in a solid form, but since then we have succeeded in so enriching 

 the corresponding fractions as to bring them to crystallising-point under 

 prolonged cooling. The crystals, after recrystallisation, melted between 34 

 and 35°. Their specific rotatory power was very slight, viz., [«] D — 0°40 r 

 in a 10,36% alcoholic solution. As the active «-terpineols have a very 

 high power of rotation, the substance here referred to is inactive a-terpineol, 

 contaminated, moreover, by slight active admixtures. 



The unprecedented manner in which essential oils are occasionally 

 sophisticated is again illustrated by two samples of geranium oil which 

 were submitted by a business-friend for our opinion. Examination showed 

 that it was doubtful whether they contained any geranium oil at all ! The 

 following table gives the constants: — 



1 , 



i 



2. 



Reunion Oil 



African Oii 



dwo 



0,9083 



0,9087 



0,888 to 0,896 



0,892 to 0,904 



a 



-j-13°24' 



— 40°40' 



— 7°30'to — 14° 



— 6°30 r to — 12° 



I1D20O 



1,47957 



1,48910 



1,462 to 1,468 



1,464 to 1,472 



Acid v. 



1,8 



0,9 



3 to 12 



1,5 to 12 



Ester v. 



33,1 



11,0 



50 to 78 



34 to 70 



Ester v. after acet. 



203,7 



143,7 



. 208 to 233 



203 to 232 



Total geraniol 



66,2o/o 



44,30/ 



68 to 78% 



66 to 77°/o 



Solubility 



3 vols. a. m. of j insoluble 



70% alcohol, 

 the dilute sol. 

 opalesces 



2 to 3 vol. a. m. of 70% alcohol, 

 mostly with separ. of paraffin. 



J ) Report October 1910, 69. 



