— 8r --T- 



These defects are attributed to the fact that the oils have been 

 distilled from peppermint largely intermixed with weed, for which 

 reason they are called "weedy oils". Whereas in England the cult- 

 ivation of peppermint is carried out with great care, and all weeds 

 are immediately removed, in America frequently no attention is paid 

 to these matters, and the consequence is an inferior oil. The weeds 

 vary according to the year and season; of cruciferse, small quantities 

 already are said to affect injuriously the quality of the oil of an 

 entire crop. It is said to be an advantage to dry the peppermint 

 before the distillation, by means of which various weeds lose their 

 unfavourable influence on the oil. 



Peppermint Oil, English. According to E.J. Parry 1 ), many 

 peppermint oils come on the market which are offered as "English 

 distilled peppermint oil", but which are nothing but American 

 peppermint oil rectified in England, and to which to the utmost a 

 small quantity of English oil has been added. 



We also consider it necessary to call again the attention of all 

 interested parties to such scandal. 



Peppermint Oil, Japanese. With regard to the final result 

 of the 1906 harvest, we have before us three estimates issued in 

 January 1907, which differ but slightly from one another, and of 

 which the mean may therefore no doubt be accepted as the actual result 











I. 





II. 





III. 



Bingu Bitchiu 





I st 



cut 



12 000 



kin j 









» » 





2 nd 



j} 



35000 



» ( 



80000 



kin 



80000 kin 



>> j) 





3 rd 



» 



2 8000 



>> ' 









Yonezawa I st 



and 



2 nd 



fj 



I 2 OOO 



>* 



15000 



j> 



15000 „ 



Hokkaido 









I OO OOO 



» 



120000 



}> 



90000 „ 





187OOO 



kin 



2 1 5 OOO 



kin 



185000 kin 



Mean of three, about 195000 kin. 

 Particulars with regard to the quantities still available from last 

 season fluctuate between 60000 and 100 000 kin, so that the mean 

 of 80000 kin is probably nearest the truth. There would consequ- 

 ently be about 275000 kin at the disposal of consumers, against 

 about 430000 kin in 1905. Although this not unimportant deficiency 

 by itself might give rise to an upward movement in the prices, it 

 must not be forgotten that according to other estimates available, not 

 less than 200000 kin were warehoused in Japan at the end of the 

 year, of which quantity only about 30000 kin have been sold for 

 January /February shipment. If it is also considered that the American 

 peppermint oil market has now been completely neglected for months, 



*) Chemist and Druggist 70 (1907), 100. 



