The exceptional drought which prevailed throughout Central Europe 

 during the spring and summer months was for the trade and industry 

 in many respects most detrimental in its consequences, of which the 

 stoppage of the river-traffic on the Elbe was the most serious of all. 

 The loss caused thereby to the industry amounts to many millions of 

 marks. The after-effects of the drought will make themselves still 

 felt during the winter, and will find expression in high prices of food, 

 spirits, and fodder. 



For the development and growth of many medicinal plants and 

 spices the lack of rain has been disastrous; our own cultivations have 

 suffered so much from it, that the evil consequences will be felt for 

 many years to come. The plain round Leipzig has been particularly 

 affected by the drought. The districts of the Alps in the South of 

 France have also suffered, and a considerably lower production is 

 reported from there. In any case it will be well to be prepared for 

 various surprises, which as a rule follow such natural phenomena. 



The Northern parts of the American continent have also been 

 affected by the abnormal drought, and it will be an interesting matter 

 to determine to which exceptional metereological conditions these remark- 

 able phenomena must be attributed. 



As mentioned briefly in our last Report, we have taken up the 

 manufacture of the hay -fever serum "Pollantin" (German Patent 

 No. 152 163), discovered by Professor Dunbar. Owing to the excellent 

 action of this remedy, the demand was so large that unfortunately it 

 could not be fully satisfied. As far as has been ascertained, the 

 published results on the effect of this serum, with those of the present 

 year added, are decidedly more favourable, and the demand next year 

 will consequently be still larger. Arrangements have already been made 

 to meet the increased requirements. 



Almond Oil, bitter (from apricot-kernels). The certain 

 kuowledge of obtaining from us an absolutely pure natural distillate, 

 has brought us a large circle of clients, whose demands we are scarcely 

 able to satisfy in point of quantity. During the last few months it 

 unfortunately happened that our stocks had been exhausted, and that 

 some orders for larger parcels from abroad had to be declined. At 

 the present moment we have, by working overtime, again accumulated 

 a small stock. 



On the occasion of some comprehensive experiments relating to 

 the test of bitter almond oil for chlorine according to the well-known 

 combustion-method, we established inter alia that the content of hydro- 

 cyanic acid in the oil may occasionally have a disturbing effect, and 



