- 83 - 



the odour and solubility, and that this portion is then employed for 

 scenting plain (so-called Kasan) soap. 



The bulk of the oil (85,2 °/ ) boiled between 200 and 220 . The 

 portions passing over below 200 contained a small quantity of a 

 body boiling at 115 to 120 (not further determined) which is probably 

 an aldehyde. There could also be detected in it optically inactive 

 pinene, and a hydrocarbon which, judging from its derivatives, appeared 

 to be identical with dipentene, but which Schindelmeiser, owing to 

 its optical activity ( a D20° — - 3°4 2 ')> regards as a mixture of 1- and 

 d-limonene in which the former predominates. Menthene, which 

 Andres and Andreef 1 ) claim to have found in Russian pepper- 

 mint oil, could not be detected, in spite of most careful tests; 

 equally futile was the search for phellandrene which is contained in 

 American peppermint oil. As a further constituent, cineol was 

 discovered. 



From the fraction which passed over between 208 and 210 , 

 a lsevorotatory menthone («i> — 1 7 1 8') was isolated, which 

 Schindelmeiser for various reasons (optical behaviour, properties 

 of the oxime and semicarbazone) considers a mixture of (more) 

 1- and (less), d-menthone. 



Menthol was present in the oil both in the free state and in 

 the form of the esters of acetic and valeric acids. The sesquiterpene 

 contained in the oil could not be identified further, as the fraction 

 in question was too small. 



Petitgrain Oil, Paraguay. Unfortunately, nothing of a favourable 

 nature can be reported on this subject, as the scarcity of the supplies 

 still continues. The prices could be reduced by a few marks, as the 

 demand at the high quotations naturally left much to be desired, and 

 occasionally small speculative stocks came to the light which the owners 

 were anxious to realize at the profitable prices. Thanks to the reliability 

 of our suppliers, we were in a position to satisfy at least the current 

 requirements. Our correspondent recently informed us that the calamity 

 had become in so far worse, that a terrible plague of locusts had 

 attacked the producing district, and destroyed all leaves. In consequence 

 of this, the distillation which had already been almost crippled by 

 the rise in the cost of labour, had now ceased there completely, and 

 it was now necessary to remove the manufacture to distant districts 

 which had not been attacked by the locusts. The great expense 

 connected with this, and especially the troublesome transport, natur- 

 ally cause a corresponding increase in the cost of the distillate, of 

 which probably not much more than a few thousand kilos can now 

 be had. How long these abnormal conditions will last, it is, of 



*) Berl. Berichte 25 (1892), 609. 



