— 38 — 



heat, and one-half of the area then newly-sown has had to be ploughed 

 up. It is certain that this circumstance will bring about a material 

 shortage in the production, but it must be borne in mind that there is 

 still a considerable balance in reserve from 1911, which, unless bought 

 up by speculators, will help to average the market. In the meantime the 

 prices which, as is well-known, had dropped to the neighbourhood of fl. 11, 

 have advanced to about fl. 15,50, and a few parcels of new crop seed for 

 delivery next September have even changed hands at fl. 17,50. It is obvious 

 that these facts cannot remain without influence upon the prices of caraway 

 oil, but generally speaking we regard the reports as very premature and 

 we are of opinion that there is still ample time for changes in the position. 

 This, however, is certain, that there will be no return to the exceptionally 

 low prices which resulted from last year's abnormally heavy crop. 



The above is confirmed by the recently-published report of the Dutch 

 Ministry of Agriculture, which states: — 



"The dry summer of 1911 has been very unfavorable to the caraway- 

 plants. When the covering-crop was removed, the condition of the caraway- 

 fields proved to be so bad that most of them were ploughed up. In all 

 the important districts, such as Groningen, North-Holland, South-Holland, 

 Zealand and Western North-Brabant, only a small section of the fields 

 is under caraway. Thus, the State Instructor in Agriculture for Western 

 North-Brabant estimates the area under caraway in his district at only 

 from 10 to 20% of that of last year. The few caraway-areas which are 

 in existence in Groningen at present date from last year. Moreover, the 

 condition of the growing crop is not very satisfactory. In Groningen it 

 is moderate to fairly good; in North-Holland, moderate on clay and fairly 

 good on peat-soil; in South-Holland and Zealand moderate, and in 

 North-Brabant bad." 



Cardamom Oil, Ceylon. It has been necessary to raise the prices 

 very materially, as all varieties of cardamoms suitable for distilling were 

 almost unprocurable. The prospects are still very unfavourable and con- 

 tinued high values appear to be certain. 



Cardamom* Oil, 5 ! East African, see p. 136. 



Oil of Casimiroa edulis. Power and Callan 1 ) have obtained from the 

 alcoholic extract of the seeds of Casimiroa edulis, La Llave (N. O. Rutacea?), 

 a yield of 0,021 °/o (calc. based upon dry seed) of an essential oil possessing 

 the following constants: d 20 o 0,9574, « D — 2°25' (in a 25 mm. tube). The 

 bulk of the oil boiled below 130° (25 mm.). 



Cassia Oil. The cassia oil market calls for very little remark on the 

 present occasion. It is true that shortly after our last October Report 



x ) Journ. chem. Soc. 99 (1911), 1996. 



