— 105 — 



the experimental period by means of petroleum ether from the blossoms 

 cut off. A comparison of the results obtained showed the following : 

 The removal of the inflorescences causes a considerable increase in 

 the weight of the plant, up to 39% of the normal weight. The 

 quantity of oil of any individual plant has almost doubled, the increase 

 amounting to up to 82°/ of the normal production. The older 

 inflorescences which have accomplished their function have retained 

 less odoriferous matter than the inflorescences cut off had taken away. 

 The absolute weight of the oil remaining behind in the green parts 

 of each plant has increased, but this increase is not proportionate to 

 their development. This is due to the fact that, whilst in the control 

 plants after completed fructification a certain quantity of oil returns 1 ) 

 to the parts containing chlorophyl, this return cannot take place in 

 the experimental plants, as they have been systematically deprived of 

 their inflorescences. On the other hand, the authors found that the 

 comparative quantity of oil is also larger in the experimental plants, 

 which may be explained thus, that in the inflorescences which have 

 remained on the plants, essential oil has been consumed in the fructific- 

 ation process 2 ). 



The observations made also explain why the peppermint 3 ) which 

 has been changed by the stings of insects and which has lost the 

 capacity of developing blossoms, shows a considerable increase in the 

 development of the green organs and an important augmentation in 

 the oil production. 



On the formation and distribution of essential oil in the sweet 

 orange during its development, Roure-Bertrand Fils 4 ) have made 

 researches of which the result may be summed up in the following: The 

 formation of essential oils is brisker in the young organs of the plant 

 than in those which are already fully developed. The stalk is notice- 

 ably poorer in odoriferous substances than the leaf, and it especially 

 contains considerably less citral. The quantity of essential oil remaining 

 behind in the stalk diminishes constantly. 



Bourquelot and Danjou 5 ) have continued their examinations of 

 the glucoside contained in the common elder (Sambucus nigra L.), to 

 which we referred in our last Report 6 ). 1 Kilo fresh leaves, macerated 



1 ) Charabot and Laloue, Compt. rend. 139 (1904), 928 and 140 (1905), 667. 

 Comp. Report October 1905, 90. 



2 ) Compt. rend. 140 (1905), 667. Comp. Report October 1905, 90. 



3 ) Comp. the report under Peppermint oil, p. 54. 



4 ) Reports of Roure-Bertrand fils, Grasse, October 1905, 2r. 



5 ) Journ. de Pharm. et Chim. VI. 22 (1905), 210. 



6 ) Journ. de Pharm. et Chim. VI. 22 (1905), 154. Report October 1905, no. 



