- 69 - 



to obtain two bodies which by their melting points, 184 to 186 and 

 125 to 1 2 6° respectively, proved to be those of 1-menthone and 

 d-menthone (total 50 /o of the oil). The 1-menthone, regenerated 

 from the semicarbazone boiled at 207 to 208 (m. p. of the corres- 

 ponding oxime 58 to 59°); the other regenerated ketone with the 

 opposite rotation boiled at 209 to 210 (its oxime was oily). This 

 menthone proved to be identical with the dextrorotatory constituent 

 found byBeckmann in inverted menthone, and according to Aschans 

 nomenclature must be termed d-isomenthone. The fraction passing 

 over from 300 to 310 contains a sesquiterpene alcohol (2 °/ ), 

 from which was obtained a sesquiterpene with the following properties : 

 d 2 oo 0,8981; a D -f- i°4 ; ; n D20° 1,5001; b. p. 270 to 280 ; mol. refr. 66,8. 

 Of combined acids Barrowcliff found, besides salicylic acid already 

 stated, also formic, acetic, octylic, and decylic acids, and a non- 

 volatile dibasic acid of the formula C 8 H 14 4 (m. p. 83 to 85 ). 



Peppermint Oil, American. Our New York branch has this 

 year again, as usual, despatched an expert to the producing districts 

 of the States of New York, Michigan, and Indiana, and from his 

 report we abstract the following data : — 



I. Wayne County, New York. 

 The weather has been very unfavourable since the beginning of 

 the spring, as practically no rain has fallen, and as the drought also 

 continued in the time which is most important for the development 

 of the plants, i. e., in August, the whole of the peppermint cultivation 

 has suffered to a not inconsiderable extent. The area covered with 

 last year's and this year's plants, amounts to the following: — 



last year's this year's 



Williamson 



4 



acres 



2 1 / 2 acres 



Marion 



25 1 / 



2 " 



24 



Palmyra 



21 



j? 



16 



Sodus 



38 



}> 



22l A » 



Arcadia 



131 



)> 



109V2 » 



Junius 



12 



jj 



9 



Galen 



12 



)t 



8 



Rose 



5 



?> 



5 



Lyons 



118 1 / 



2 » 



7i 



Phelps 



7 



.37 



4V2 » 



374V2 acres 2 7 2 acres 

 Total 646Y2 acres. 

 The prospective yield of oil is estimated at 10 lbs. per acre for 

 last year's, and 35 lbs. per acre for this year's peppermint. This 

 would therefore give the following result : — 



