— 74 — 



the plants are grown in different districts. According to this Bircken- 

 stock distinguishes the following groups: Ardeche, Herault, Drome, 

 Gard, Basses -Alpes, Alpes - Maritimes, and Var. Whilst according to the 

 author, the first named group represents the spike type proper, and yields 

 oils of the following properties: d^o 0,918 to 0,921; «D-f-7°48 / to 

 9°36 / ; a D of the first 10 per cent, of the distillate -j- 8° to -|- io°; ester- 

 content 4 to 5%; alcohol-content 21%; soluble in 3 vol. 67 per cent, 

 alcohol, — the "Var" group already closely approaches the lavender 

 type: di 5 o 0,9035 to 0,905; «d — i° io' to + o°; «d of the first 

 10 per cent, of the distillate -\~-2°; ester-content 2 to 3%5 alcohol- 

 content 20 to 32°/ ; soluble in 5 to 6 vol. 60 per cent, alcohol. The 

 other groups represent intermediate stages. Specific gravity and rotation 

 therefore become less, whilst alcohol-content and solubility increase; 

 inasmuch as the borneol greatly preponderating in the "Ardeche" type 

 is gradually substituted towards the "Var" type by linalool and geraniol. 

 The laevorotation of the last -mentioned oil is also remarkable, but 

 Birckenstock considers that up to — i° io' this is still normal, 

 provided that the first 10 per cent, of the distillate rotate to the right. 

 The above statements agree only partly with the observations 

 hitherto made, according to which pure spike oil has the following 

 constants: di 5 o 0,905 to 0,915; «p to the right 1 ); a D of the first 

 10 per cent, of the distillate also to the right. Further detailed studies 

 are wanted to solve this question definitely. 



An adulteration not observed with spike oil up to the present was 

 recently detected in our laboratory. The oil behaved as follows: 

 di 5 o 0,9282; ctjy _|_5° 56'; «d of the first 10 per cent, of the distillate 

 -|~6°46 / ; ester no. 8,1; soluble in 2 and more vol. 70 per cent, 

 alcohol. The high specific gravity was particularly striking, but the oil 

 was also suspected on account of its peculiar smell. The further 

 examination showed that nitrobenzene had been added to the oil, which 

 was isolated from it by fractional distillation, and was further identified 

 by conversion into aniline. This adulteration cannot be called very clever. 



Staivanise Oil. This article has been greatly neglected during 

 the last few months; speculative enterprise was entirely absent, yet 

 there appears to be no stock of excess production worth mentioning, 

 as the market has maintained itself with slight fluctuations at 5/2 to 

 5/5 cif. Hamburg. Tonquin oil was practically not offered at all, and 

 the parcels which came on offer were quoted at prices which were 

 entirely out of proportion to the China oil. The latter, moreover, 

 has during the last few years left nothing to be desired in point of 

 quality. 



x ) Comp. also Report April 1904, 83. 



