— 60 — 



reduce the price by a trifle. It so happens that in recent months the 

 demand has been very brisk, probably, in the first place, because of the 

 increased requirements of the aerated-water manufacturers. The terpene- 

 free variety has been specially preferred. 



Linaloe Oil. Generally speaking, the position of Mexican linaloe oil 

 has undergone no change, but occasionally the prices have been affected 

 by the listlessness of the market and transactions of some importance 

 could only be concluded by some sacrifice on the part of the sellers. The 

 flatness of the market is due chiefly to the effect of the competition of 

 the excellent Cayenne linaloe oil, which was usually obtainable at lower 

 rates than the Mexican oil, while at the same time its intrinsic worth is 

 undoubtedly greater. The output of this oil in Cayenne has lately assumed 

 dimensions which must be pronounced unhealthy, for on every side com- 

 plaints are rife that the manufacture does not pay. The attempts to unite 

 the numerous small distillers into an association for the protection of 

 their interests has miscarried owing to the opposition of a few wealthy 

 firms, who in the end will probably hold the field, hence the future of 

 this comparatively young industry in Cayenne does not appear to be par- 

 ticularly rosy. 



Cayenne linaloe oil. While fractionating a considerable parcel of 

 Cayenne linaloe oil, we succeeded in detecting in the first runnings, and 

 in isolating therefrom, methylheptenol , a body discovered by us some 

 years ago in Mexican linaloe oil 1 ). The first runnings which contained the 

 body had di 50 0,8655 and <* D — 11°40'. The alcohol, which was isolated 

 with phthalic ester, was identified by oxidising it into methylheptenone, 

 of which the semicarbazone melted at 137 to 138°. 



Lovage Oil. What has been said under angelica root oil also applies 

 to this oil. The crop of lovage must be described as a complete failure, 

 and the small supplies which are available to meet the requirements until 

 next autumn are therefore, so to speak, worth their weight in gold. For 

 the present the price has risen from 300 o^ to 500 M per kilo and the 

 tendency is firm. 



Mustard Oil. Our fears that the substitution, in the last edition of 

 the German Pharmacopoeia, of artificial mustard oil for the natural oil 

 previously official would very seriously affect the consumption of the 

 last-named article have been realised, and as it may be assumed that 

 sooner or later the German example will be followed in foreign Pharma- 

 copoeias, it appears to be probable that the natural article is destined 

 to disappear from commerce before very long. There is, in fact, no 

 material difference in the action of the two oils, hence the question of 

 quality can scarcely be adduced as an argument for the indispensability 



x ) Report November 1908, 85. 



