- 65 - 



After these results the advantage of the steam distillation need 

 not be pointed out specially, but the rapidity of the distillation 

 is, for the reasons already given, also important for the preservation 

 of the esters. This has been proved by numerous experiments. 

 The quicker the distillation is accomplished, the larger is the 

 content of linalyl acetate. In proportion to the rapidity of the 

 distillation, the oils obtained from the same lavender were up to 4°/ 

 richer in ester. 



The observations which we have briefly reproduced here were 

 decisive for the production of our lavender oil. 



With fresh blossoms the yield of oil is 0,8 °/ , with dried blossoms 

 up to 1,5%. During drying the blossoms lose a great deal in weight; 

 we have ascertained from 35 to 47%, according to the length of 

 time occupied. Not only a portion of the water is thus lost, but 

 also a portion of the oil, as was proved by calculating the oil yield 

 for the fresh distillation material. As, moreover, dried lavender yields 

 an oil of greater specific gravity and richer in ester than the same 

 lavender in the fresh state, it follows that the blossoms thus practically 

 only become poorer in the most volatile portions of the oil (terpenes). 

 The following table may serve to make this clear: — 



Kind of lavender 



.5 b* 



3^ 



Yield of oil 

 calculated 

 for fresh 

 blossoms 



d 150 



«D 



% 



ester 



Solubility in 70 per cent, 

 alcohol 



I. 



f a) fresh blossoms 

 | b) the same after dry- 

 l ing for i 1 / 2 days 



35°/o 



o,84°/ 

 o,79°/o 



0,8891 

 0,8905 



-7°2o' 

 -7°33 / 



50,3 

 51,3 



] Soluble in 6 and more 

 I vol. with slight cloud- 

 | iness, with 10 vol. 

 J still opalescent 



2. 



f a) fresh blossoms 

 j b) the same after dry- 

 l ing for 4 days 



47°/ 



o,87°/o 

 °,79°/o 



0,8859 

 0,8884 



-9°4 

 -9°33 / 



46,9 



49,2 



| Soluble in about 4,5 

 land more vol. with 

 J opalescence 





[ a) fresh blossoms 





o,8o°/ 



0,8875 



-8°io' 



47J 



Soluble in 3 and 



3- 



{ b) the same after dry- 

 l ing for 5 days 



477o 



o,72°/ 



0,8899 



-8°44' 



5M 



more vol. 

 Soluble in 4,2 and 

 more vol. 



Small losses of ester also occur when lavender blossoms are dried, 

 but they are only slight, and amount to between 10 and 2 5°/ of 

 the total loss of oil. 



It follows from all that has been said here on the distillation of 

 lavender that the oil richest in ester, and at the same time 

 the largest yield of oil, are obtained when the lavender blos- 

 soms are worked up in an entirely fresh condition, and are 

 distilled with steam as rapidly as possible. 



5 



