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value of this important oil is exceptionally low, a natural consequence of 

 a greatly increased production due to the previous high prices. At the 

 present quotations, however, the distillation has become unremunerative, 

 and it is not improbable that the prices will advance to a more equitable 

 level at an early date. 



It is now an exceptionally favourable opportunity for the purchase 

 of fine Gingergrass oil, of a quality such as has not been met with in 

 commerce for years. Our examinations have proved that it is a pure 

 distillate deserving absolute confidence. 



On the cultivation of Pelargonium capitatum Ait, Jacob de Corde- 

 moy 1 ) reports in an interesting work from which we abstract the 

 following : 



The cultivation of geranium, which has considerably increased of late 

 years, is carried on at Reunion at altitudes of 1300 to 4000 feet; in 

 the regions situated at a greater elevation the winter- cold is too severe, 

 so that the plants are destroyed by frost. The most suitable soil for 

 the cultivation of geranium is one rich in humus, such as is found in 

 the virgin soil at the above-mentioned altitudes. For the production 

 of the oil the distillers employ stills of simple construction, of which 

 some 250 are in operation in the whole colony. Whilst up to last 

 year this industry was not taxed and only an official permit was required 

 for the erection of the stills, there has lately been imposed an annual 

 tax of 10 fr. per still. About 700 to 1000 kilos leaves yield 1 kilo 

 oil. The leaves after distillation are usefully employed in the form 

 of manure. 



Gingergrass OiL A short time ago 2 ) we reported on a new 

 alcohol C 10 H 16 O, which forms an important constituent of gingergrass 

 oil. From what we then said it was clear that the production of this 

 body in the pure state, in consequence of the admixture of geraniol, 

 is difficult, and that we had up to then only partly succeeded in 

 carrying it out. We believe that we have now obtained a purer 

 product in this manner, that the alcohol isolated from the saponified 

 oil by fractional distillation was heated on a water-bath with double the 

 quantity of 99 per cent, formic acid just to 75 to 8o°, and the formate 

 thereby produced worked up in the well known manner for the alcohol. 

 Whether a quantitative removal of the geraniol was thus accomplished 

 is a matter which could not be decided with absolute certainty. But 

 from the combustion and also from the physical constants it may be 

 concluded that the resulting product was purer than that previously 

 obtained. 



*) Revue des cultures coloniales 14 (1904), 170. 

 2 ) Report April 1904, 55. 



