— 15 — 



Angelica Oil. For a time there was a distinct scarcity in this 

 oil, and especially during the last few weeks stocks have everywhere 

 become greatly reduced. For this reason the new distillate is awaited 

 with anxiety, although it can hardly come to hand before the end 

 of this month. Our own as well as the Thuringian cultivation have 

 suffered rather much from the effect of the abnormal weather, and 

 a satisfactory result can hardly be reckoned upon. The prices of 

 the pure distillate will regulate themselves correspondingly. 



After a long time we have once again had an opportunity of 

 distilling Japanese angelica oil. The oil, obtained in a yield of 

 o,i°/ , possessed an olive-green colour, and its odour could scarcely 

 be distinguished from that of the oil obtained from German roots 

 (Archangelica officinalis Hoffm.). It had the following properties: 

 diso 0,9081; «d — 1°40 / ; acid no. 10,6; ester no. 39,8; not completely 

 soluble in 10 vol. 90 per cent, alcohol; soluble in every proportion 

 in 95 per cent, alcohol; when cooled in a freezing mixture, abundant 

 quantities of white crystals (oxypentadecylic acid?) 1 ) separated off. 



Anise Oil. The Russian anise harvest has been much delayed 

 by the unfavourable weather conditions, and reports giving estimated 

 figures of the crop have up to the present not yet been received. 

 For this reason we must limit ourselves to the general remark that 

 the result is judged favourably both in point of quantity and of 

 quality. In spite of this, the prices at the first anise market at 

 Krasnoje kept unexpectedly high, as only 53 truck-loads had been 

 brought in, instead of 100 to 150 trucks in previous years. It is not 

 astonishing that the small supply found ready buyers, and that the 

 tendency at the close of the market had to be characterised as advancing. 

 At the second market larger supplies are expected, but at the same 

 time higher prices, as some of the principal buyers who up to the 

 present have stood entirely aloof, will then have to arrange for 

 covering their requirements. 



Oil of Asarum Blumei Duch. According to Asahina 2 ), the 

 Chinese drug To-ko is the dried entire herb (with roots and rhizome) 

 of Asarum Blumei Duch. ; it contains 1,4% essential oil of a yellowish 

 colour, and a sassafras-like odour; di 5 o 1,0788; M D -{- 5 3' '; acid. no. 

 and sapon. no. o. Of the constituents, eugenol, safrol, and a terpene- 

 like body were detected. The drug met with in commerce under the 

 name Sai-sin or Si-sin, whose mother-plant is said to be Asarum 

 Sieboldi, originates, according to Asahina, also from A. Blumei Duch. 

 and is consequently identical with To-ko, 



*) Comp. Gildemeister and Hoffmann, The Volatile Oils, p. 574. 

 2 ) Journ. of the pharm. Soc. of Japan 1907, 362. 



