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August, and in driving up the prices of menthol in Europe to 9/- 

 and of oil to 6/-. Since then the quotations have here again 

 become somewhat weaker, and recently menthol is again quoted 

 for forward shipment at 7/9, and oil at 5/9. As the rice-harvest 

 in Japan this year has had very favourable results, the producers 

 naturally ride the high horse, and are enabled to follow the course 

 of events rather quietly without having to realise their peppermint 

 products. The majority of the Japanese banks, moreover, is at 

 any time ready to advance money on these products, and for 

 this reason there is no great anxiety to procure the ready cash 

 which may be wanted. 



How the situation will shape itself further will depend now as before 

 chiefly upon the attitude of the speculators. Their proved pertinacity 

 may possibly succeed in keeping the prices at the present level, the more 

 so, as according to the reports received, a deficiency in the American 

 peppermint harvest would scarcely be surprising. 



Peppermint Oil, Saxon. Thanks to the favourable weather- 

 conditions which prevailed this year especially in our neighbourhood, 

 and which led to exceptionally rich results in the harvest of all 

 agricultural products, our own peppermint plantations in the vicinity 

 of Miltitz have given very satisfactory results both in point of quality 

 and quantity. This time the plants were free from the troublesome 

 fungus -disease, a factor of great importance in the yield and the fine 

 quality of the oil. It is well known that with regard to fineness 

 of aroma our Saxon distillate stands unquestionably at the top of 

 all peppermint oils and enjoys undivided support especially from the 

 manufacturers of fine peppermint preparations. 



Oil of Persea gratissima. The distillate from the leaves of 

 a specimen of Persea gratissima Gaertn. growing in the garden of the 

 Hotel de la Calif ornie at Cannes, which we received from Mr. Jean 

 Gras of Cannes, was an oil with a very faint yellowish green colour, 

 bitter taste, and an odour reminding of anise and remotely of estragon 

 oil. It is known in the South of France under the name of Essence 

 d'Avocatier. The oil had the following properties: d^o 0,956; 

 «d-(-2°22 / ; n D20° 1 >5 l 3%9', ester no. 3,8; ester no. after acetylation 

 18,9. The oil was soluble in 6 vol. 80 per cent, alcohol, with slight 

 cloudiness and separation of paraffin; it formed a clear solution with 

 about Y2 an d more vol. 90 per cent, alcohol. In a freezing mixture 

 it only became slightly cloudy, but did not congeal. On fractional 

 distillation in vacuo (at 5 mm. pressure) there passed over: up to 

 83 , about 8%; from 83 to 84 , 71%; from 84 to 85 , 6%. The 

 residue on distillation (about 15%) had a yellowish colour, and solidified 

 partly when cooled. 



