— 82 — 



The position of Reunion geranium oil was uncertain at the time when 

 our last Autumn Report went to press, for one reason because it was too 

 early to say anything about the coming crop, and for another because all 

 sorts of contradictory rumours were current on the probable course of 

 prices. Not until the end of December was it possible to state with some 

 degree of certainty gthat the summer crop, which commences about this 

 time, was likely to give a favourable result, although in some districts 

 the growing crops had again been damaged by a cyclone. The prices sagged 

 by a few francs, and might perhaps have returned to near their old cheap 

 level, if a well-known Grasse firm had not caused a sudden veering round 

 in the tendency by speculative operations. The quotations thereupon again 

 advanced by leaps and bounds, and it now remains to be seen whether 

 the firm in question will succeed in carrying its speculative interference 

 to a successful issue. Naturally, it is the consumers who pay, for they 

 are compelled nilly-willy to concede the high prices as soon as their stocks 

 are at an end. It is obvious that in these circumstances it is out of the 

 question to pronounce an opinion on the future of the market. For the 

 first time for a long period the exports of Reunion geranium oil show a 

 decline, the shipments from St. Denis having been as follows: — 



In the year 1911, 45 238 kilos 

 „ „ „ 1910, 64156 „ . 



Ginger Oil. A few large purchases of suitable distilling material at 

 advantageous prices have enabled us steadily to replenish our stocks of 

 ginger oil, and we have therefore been in a position to cope throughout 

 with the brisk demand which has made itself felt in spite of the high 

 prices. Unfortunately, the general scarcity of the article has undergone 

 no alteration during the past few months, and the position must still be 

 described as very firm. 



Gingergrass Oil has been rather neglected, principally because 

 those manufacturers who formerly were in the habit of buying the article 

 regularly, have found in our exquisite palmarosa-oil substitute an adjuvant 

 which is at once cheaper and possessed of a finer odour. Under the 

 pressure of lack of business the prices of the new season's gingergrass 

 oil have receded to a level scarcely ever known in the past. In spite of 

 this little interest is shown in the article, and wholesale transactions are 

 at a standstill. 



A sample of this oil distilled at Buitenzorg 1 ) gave the following 

 constants: d 26 o 0,928, « D + 46°5\ The yield was 0,1 °/o. 



Grape Fruit Leaf Oil see Shaddock Leaf Oil, p. 116. 



x ) Jaarb. dep. landb. in Ned.-Indie, Batavia 1910, 49. 



