— 55 — 



leaves alone about 0,7 to 0,8 °/ . For this reason Blandini considers 

 it best, from a practical point of view, to distil only the leaves. From 

 the flowers from a two-year's cultivation, 1,5% (?) oil were obtained, 

 and it was at the same time found that the spring-harvest gives the 

 best yield of oil. 



The French geranium, contrary to the Algerian, is an annual 

 plant and as a consequence it can only be harvested once 1 ). 



According to a report from Consul J. Johnston, the production 

 of Algerian geranium oil and also of other essential oils in Algeria, 

 takes place chiefly in the districts immediately adjoining the township 

 of Algiers. Boufarik in the plain of Mitidja, some 20 miles away 

 from Algiers, is the principal market. The export to France in 1905 

 was valued at $ 310000, that to the other countries taken together 

 was only a little above $ 30000. 



In the East Indian geranium oils, the state of affairs this season 

 was absolutely critical, for ginger grass oil of pure quality did not 

 come at all on offer from India, whilst palmarosa oil gradually 

 advanced from 5/- per lb. to 8/3, as the offers from there were 

 by no way proportionate to the demand. Our friends report a 

 partial failure of the harvest, but we are rather inclined to see in the 

 increasing consumption of the article one of the principal factors of 

 the present high prices. 



The scarcity which prevails at this moment in palmarosa oil will 

 no doubt lead to numerous adulterations. We had recently submitted 

 to us for an expression of opinion, a substitute sold as palmarosa oil 

 which had evidently been produced with expert skill. Although the 

 composition was suspected on account of its peculiar odour, its con- 

 stants, with the exception of the refractive index, agreed with those 

 of palmarosa oil, as is shown by the following: — 





Palmarosa oil 



Examined oil 



^50 





0,887 to 0,900 



0,8965 



a J) 





+ 6° to — 3 , usually 

 between -j- i° and — 2 



— o° 48' 



acid no. 





up to 3,0 



i,i 



ester no. 





14 to 46 



16,8 



ester no. after 



acetyl- 



not below 226, corresponding 



238 = 79.7 7o total 



ation 





to a geraniol - content of at 

 least 75 7o 



geraniol (apparently!) 



solubility 





soluble in 1,5 to 3 or more 



soluble in 1 and more vol. 







vol. 70 per cent, alcohol 



70 per cent, alcohol 



n D20° 





1,472 to 1,476 



1,46189 



x ) Bericht Roure-Bertrand Fils, October 1906, 28. 



