— 64 — 



Samples nos. 2 and 3 gave no clear solutions with 10 vols. 70% 

 alcohol, and owing to the dark colour of the three samples it was not 

 possible to determine their optical rotation with exactness. The phenols 

 consisted entirely of thymol. 



In connection with the above we may here state that origanum oils 

 of wich the phenols consisted exclusively or mainly of thymol have also 

 repeatedly reached us of late from Syria, whereas previous shipments 

 received from that source *) contained only carvacrol. We have not been 

 able to find out the cause of this change in the constitution of the phenols, 

 but it may perhaps be the case that different species of origanum are 

 being distilled in Syria. 



An origanum oil imported from Syria by Roure-Bertrand Fils 2 ) was 

 found to possess the following properties: d i5 o 0,9309, « D + 1°6', sol. in 

 I 1 /* vols, and more of 80% alcohol. When the straw-coloured oil was 

 allowed to stand for a considerable time, a transparent body separated 

 out from it. 



This body may possibly consist of cedar camphor, the presence of 

 which we detected some years ago in an origanum oil from Smyrna 3 ). 

 The oil examined by us gave the following constants: di 5 o 0,9386, 

 soluble in 2 to 2 x l% vols, of 70% alcohol. 



Orris Oil. Since April last the prices of this important article have 

 remained unchanged and although, as will be seen from the subjoined 

 report of our local correspondents, Florentine orris root will be available 

 this year at a reduction of a few percent on the prices of 1910, this fact 

 does not warrant the expectation of a reduction in the price of our two 

 distillates. As we have already pointed out, the selling-prices of orris oil 

 are still far below the quotations which would be justified on the basis 

 of the previous cost-prices, and if by any means the oil-content of the 

 current year's crop should have suffered through the exceptional drought, 

 a further increase in the quotations will be unavoidable. In any case we 

 do not hesitate to advise our friends to lay in a liberal supply at the 

 rates now prevailing. 



As usual, our correspondents have sent us a detailed report on the 

 orris root market in 1911, and we quote their statements textually below: — 



"Since our last report on Florentine orris root the price has been 

 more or less stationary at the previous level of 85 oM for sorts cif. 

 Hamburg. It was not until quite recently that the market began to 

 sag somewhat, as is often the case when the new crop comes to 

 market, and to this state of things the considerably reduced demand 

 in anticipation of future developments has contributed its share. 



!) Report April 1907, 73. 



2 ) Berichte von Roure-Bertrand Fils, April 1911, 24. 



3 ) Report October 1906, 48. 



