— Ill — 

 Chemical Preparations and Drugs. 



Benzoin, Siam. The acute scarcity which prevailed some months ago 

 in this article, which is one of such great importance in the perfumery in- 

 dustry, has been removed for the time being by the arrival of some large 

 parcels. Benzoin in fine, bold almonds, which is one of our specialities, 

 is, however, as yet by no means plentiful, and it has therefore been im- 

 possible up to the present to reduce the quotations for this quality to the 

 level which might have been expected in view of the weaker market. 



Benzyl Acetate, free from chlorine. This excellent odoriferous 

 body is steadily acquiring greater importance and its cheapness has 

 secured an opening for it everywhere, particularly in perfumes of moderate 

 price. The inferior qualities which are often offered at low prices by other 

 firms, and to which we have drawn attention on more than one occasion, 

 are still met with from time to time, and we therefore think it necessary to 

 point out that a pure, chlorine-free benzyl acetate, such as we supply, should 

 answer the following requirements: d 15 o 1,060 to 1,062, a D -f- 0, n D20 o 1,502 

 to 1,504, ester-content 98 to 100%, soluble in about 6 volumes and more 

 60% alcohol and in about 2 volumes and more 70% alcohol. The product 

 must be free from chlorine-compounds. 



We shall be pleased to supply samples of our benzyl acetate free 

 upon application, in order to enable comparisons to be made with samples 

 offered at lower prices. 



Citral. As is well-known, this article is prepared from lemongrass 

 oil, and in view of the fact that for some considerable time past the raw 

 material has only been obtainable in sufficient quantities by conceding 

 enhanced prices, it has been necessary also to advance the quotations 

 of citral. This advance will probably be more than a merely temporary 

 one, for owing to over-production the selling prices of citral have long 

 ago ceased to stand in proper relation to the cost price of lemongrass oil, 

 and an equalisation of the difference would now be desirable. 



Civet. Although supplies of really fine quality were not always 

 available, there has been no increase in the prices, because the demand 

 has not been particularly brisk. There should, however, be no chance of 

 a reduction in the quotations from the present level. 



According to a by no means very exhaustive report by the British 

 Consul at Adis Abeba 1 ), civet cats are kept in Western Abyssinia. Once 

 every nine days the odoriferous substance is extracted from the animal, 

 the yield averaging about one Wagia (26 g.) of civet each time. The 

 extraction takes place in the presence of the buyer, who, says the Consul, 

 "immediately proceeds to adulterate the civet with butter." In this con- 

 dition the article is sold in Mohammedan districts, such as Jimma, Om- 



l ) Diplomatic and Consular Reports, 1911, Annual series, No. 4759. 



