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We abstract from the Bulletin de V Office du Gouvemement general 

 de VAigerie 1 ) the following description of the cultivation of the 

 geranium varieties which come under consideration for the industrial oil 

 manufacture, after a publication by G. Bertoni which has appeared 

 in the "Coltivatore". The principal varieties cultivated in Algeria and 

 Reunion, and here and there also in Central Austria and South Germany (?) 

 are Pelargonium odoratissimum, P. capitatum, and P. roseum. In Italy 

 the cultivation of these plants is, strange to say, of no consequence, 

 in spite of its importance for the manufacture of perfumes and its 

 increasing consumption in the tobacco industry. P. roseum requires a 

 loose, low lying soil, fresh in summer, not too damp in winter, frequ- 

 ently hoed, and manured in a rational manner. According to ex- 

 periments made by E. Bland in i at the Agricultural School at Portici, 

 geranium cultures treated with stable - manure produced per hectare 

 3000 kilos blossoms with 1,98 °/ oil. When using a mixture of stable- 

 manure (300 kilos per hectare) and superphosphate (400 kilos per 

 hectare) the crop increased by 1000 kilos blossoms, and the oil-content 

 amounted to 3,17%. The fertilization took place in the first year, 

 the results are those of the harvest of the following year. 



When the field has been properly tilled and manured as directed, 

 the two years old cuttings (which, however, must have been obtained 

 from four years old mother-plants) are planted out. In hot climates 

 this takes place from October to the beginning of February, or other- 

 wise from August to September; the space between the individual 

 cuttings must be 40 by 80 cm. The harvest can take place for 

 4 to 8 years running, but in the winter the plants must be protected 

 from frost. Further examinations by Blandini have shown that not 

 only the green branches and the leaves contain oil, but, as already 

 mentioned, also the blossoms, and that in quite considerable quantities. 

 It is said that the oil of the latter is even of excellent quality, and 

 reminds much of rose oil. If merely the green branches and leaves 

 are to be distilled, the harvest can take place twice or three times (in 

 May, August, and September). This should be done in sunny unclouded 

 weather. The crop of leaves and branches then amounts on the 

 average in the first harvest to 16000, in the second to 3200, and in 

 the third to 6000 — 8000 kilos per hectare. In the first year the best 

 plan is to be satisfied with one single harvest, which can take place 

 in August or September. But if only the blossoms are wanted, no 

 definite time for the harvest can be given; it should take place 

 either at the beginning, or towards the middle of the blossoming- 

 period. Blandini obtained per hectare 3900 kilos blossoms yielding 

 7 kilos oil. On the average, branches and leaves together yield 0,1 °/ oil, 



*) Bull, de l'Off. du Gouv. de l'Alg. 12 (1906), 277. 



