II 



of almonds, many manufacturers (such as Lubeck and Kfmigsberg 

 manufacturers of "marzipan" who otherwise use bitter almonds), now 

 turned their attention to apricot-kernels, only a slight impetus on the 

 part of the Hamburg speculators was needed to drive the prices up. 

 Large parcels were secured in this place for forward delivery, something 

 like 8000 bales, for shipment from July onwards, whilst as a rule in 

 that month nothing is yet placed on the market. The price paid at 

 first was 54 marks, but subsequently it advanced to 63, 64, and 

 67 marks for forward delivery, and it was finally driven up to 74 marks, 

 owing to the fact that the various parcels changed hands three to 

 four times, even before they were shipped. The exceptionally early 

 and briskly starting demand led in Damascus, as early as July, to a 

 real hunt for kernels, and the purchase-price advanced by short leaps 

 up to 75.50 marks, so that the exporters who had foolishly entered 

 into heavy engagements for early delivery, lost a good deal of money. 

 It is impossible to say exactly how much has been exported during 

 last season, as no official record of it is kept, and one has consequently 

 to rely upon personal observations. Our friends estimate the shipments 

 from Syria up to the end of 1906 at about 10500 to 1 1 000 bales, 

 of which about 8000 bales belong to Beyrout, 100 to 150 bales to 

 Tripoli, 500 to 600 to Aleppo, and about 2000 bales to Mersina. 

 With regard to the stocks still in hand, the opinions differ considerably, 

 and at the moment nothing definite can be said about them. But in 

 any case it is certain that the extraordinary position of this article, 

 which has brought losses to every one participating m it except to the 

 Syrian peasants and the Hamburg people, is exclusively due to the 

 Hamburg speculators. 



An oil recently pressed by us from sweet apricot-kernels free 

 from prussic acid, may possibly have a certain amount of interest, 

 and for this reason may be mentioned here. The kernels which are 

 about half the size of almonds, originated from the island Mallorca, 

 and yielded on pressing 36 to 37% °^> which, as might be expected, 

 was absolutely identical with ordinary oil from apricot-kernels. It had 

 a yellow colour, and at 15 the specific gravity 0,9198; sapon. no. 188,4: 

 iodine no. 100,0. The fatty acids separated off melted at about -\~5° 

 (determined in a tube open at both ends). This oil also differs from 

 genuine almond oil above all by the elaidine test, in which the 

 (solid) layer of oil is not colourless, but, as in the case of peach-kernel 

 oil, reddish. 



Almond Oil, pressed, from almonds. Since our last Report 

 the prices of the material have maintained themselves at the same 

 level, and the numerous consumers of our Pharmacopoeia oil have had 

 to accustom themselves gradually to accepting proportionately higher 



