— 45 — 



We have here briefly reproduced Birckenstock's statements, 

 owing to the special interest which this subject, hitherto not mentioned 

 by us, possesses. Yet lavandin oil does not form an exception to the 

 ester-theory, formulated for lavender oil, as it is no longer the oil of 

 the actual lavender-plant, but of a hybrid, and (as Birckenstock 

 justly remarks) it is a matter of no concern to the trade whether 

 it is a question of a lavender oil adulterated with spike oil, or of 

 an oil which may be pure, but yet behaves exactly like the above- 

 named mixture. 



Lemongrass Oil. As already predicted in our April Report, 

 a reaction has at last come in the price of this article, and the market 

 has dropped from 8^2 d. per oz. in April to 3 d. per oz. It is to 

 be hoped that the remunerative prices of last year have not induced 

 the planters to extend their plantations too much, for in such case 

 they would undoubtedly suffer a very severe disappointment. Although 

 the oil of Backhousia citriodora, with an aldehyde - content of about 

 98°/ , consisting chiefly of citral, has not yet been shipped in large 

 parcels, it can (as we hear from an absolutely reliable source) be 

 supplied in such quantities, and in spite of the high wages in Australia, 

 in case of need at such a low price, that lemongrass oil, even at a price 

 of 3 d. to 4 d. per oz., can no longer come under consideration for 

 the manufacture of citral. We think it well, however, to point out to 

 the Australian optimists that the citral manufacture is by no means 

 exclusively dependent upon lemongrass oil and Backhousia oil, but that 

 other cheap raw material has also to be taken into account. 



The shipments from Cochin during last season, i. e. from I st July 

 1905 to 30 th June 1906, amounted to: — 



190Y2 cases to London 



100 „ „ Havre 



200 „ „ Marseilles 



218Y3 ,, „ Hamburg 



33oy 2 „ „ New York 



i23oY 12 „ „ Asiatic ports 



Total 226Q 5 / cases (Bombay and possibly subsequently Europe). 



For the sake of comparison, we quote here again the shipments 

 of the last few years: — 



1904 — 1905 1881Y2 cas es 



I903— 1904 2222^^ „ 



1902 — 1903 2806 „ 



Through the kindness of Mr. P. Bussy we received a sample of 

 lemongrass oil which had been distilled in the Government laboratory 

 at Saigon (Cochin China). It had the following properties: d^o 0,8917; 



