- 8 4 - 



is unserviceable for the valuation of sandalwood oil, a fact proved by 

 our numerous experiments, of which some have again been made 

 recently 1 ). With regard to Runge's assertion that in normal sandal- 

 wood oil the rotation increases with the specific gravity, we must correct 

 this in so far that specific gravity and rotatory power vary here in- 

 dependently of one another; we have been able to establish this by 

 a very voluminous observation-material. 



In the Communications from the Biologico -Agricultural Institute, 

 Amani, A. Zimmermann 2 ) gives a review of all trees supplying wood 

 designated a sandelwood, of which many are in no way related to 

 Santahim album L. We also abstract from this publication some 

 interesting information on the most important one, the East Indian 

 sandalwood; the cultivation of this tree should first of all be taken 

 into account for the German Colony. As the genuine sandal tree 

 which has hitherto only been cultivated in East India and Java, belongs 

 to the root-parasites, this fact should not be lost sight of when laying 

 out plantations. The parasitical mode of life commences already a 

 few months after germination, when the rootlets of Santalum album L. 

 drive real haustoria first of all into the roots of grasses, herbs, and 

 small shrubs, subsequently also into those of trees. For this reason 

 the young plants are suitably planted out each along with another 

 young plant in baskets made from the sheaths of bamboo leaves, and 

 are later on best cultivated in mixed stocks. The most advantageous 

 time for the harvest is in the 27 th to 3 th year, when the trees are 

 felled and the thicker roots dug out. The wood is barked, split up, 

 and assorted, when special regard should be paid to the colour, as 

 the oil content of the wood as a rule is all the larger, the darker the 

 colour is. 



Spearmint Oil. In view of the small American production it 

 was necessary to pay liberal prices for this very important article. By 

 doing this, and also by our excellent connections, we were in a position 

 to meet the requirements of our clients. 



Spike Oil. The position of this article, which in itself is very 

 critical, will become even more acute in the near future, for the 

 new distillation has given such a small yield of oil, owing to the ab- 

 normal drought, that a sufficient supply to meet the world's require- 

 ments is out of the question. The sparingly grown plants were nearly 

 dried up when submitted to distillation, and consequently gave only 

 very small yields of oil. 



x ) Comp. Report April 1904, 82. 



2 ) Reprint from trie "Usambara Post". Communications from the Biologico- 

 Agricultural Institute, Amani. May 21, 1904, No. 25. 



