— 8o — 



According to the Vicomtesse de Savigny de Moncorps 1 ), who 

 on her property at Seillans, department Var, has also made very 

 satisfactory cultivation- experiments with the Rose de 1'Hay, the blossoms 

 have a most remarkable scent. 



Experiments made at l'Hay show that an oil of exquisite quality 

 can be obtained from the blossoms by extraction with low -boiling 

 petroleum ether (diso below 0,630). In this manner 8 grams oil were 

 obtained from 10 kilos blossoms, (i. e. considerably more than the 

 yield of the rose now cultivated), whilst on distillation with steam, 

 50 kilos blossoms only yielded 1 gram oil, although in the latter 

 case of course rose water is also obtained. The quantity of oil 

 obtained by extraction amounts to 2,05 kilos per acre, equal to a 

 value of about 4000 francs, as compared with about 1500 francs 

 value of the oil and water obtained by the distillation. 



The Revue de Grasse 2 ) quite justly emphasises that further experiments 

 are necessary to ascertain whether the yields of blossoms and oil are 

 really as high as those of the first experiments, and whether the 

 rose oil obtained is of equally fine quality as that from the species 

 of roses cultivated at present. Particularly from these points of view, 

 it would be desirable to make a large number of cultivation-trials, so 

 that it may be possible to form a perfectly clear opinion as to the 

 value of the rose species of which the cultivation is to be taken up. 



It may be interesting to mention here still that in the South 

 of France cultivation -experiments are also made in other directions 

 with the object to push the production of blossoms and of oil; for 

 example, the "Nouveau Syndicat horticole de Magagnosc" has taken 

 up the study of the question of replacing the species of violet now 

 cultivated, by a variety which is more hardy, richer in blossoms, and 

 if possible of a still more powerful scent than the present one. 



From the same source we learn that the Chamber of Commerce 

 of Digne has also recently occupied itself with the question whether 

 the fact that in the department Basses -Alpes practically the same 

 climatic conditions prevail as in Bulgaria, does not render the cultiv- 

 ation of oil roses in the valleys of the rivers Durance, Bleone, Asse 

 and Verdon possible; and it has been decided to petition the Govern- 

 ment to send an expert to carry on cultivation - experiments on a 

 scientific basis. In the interest of the agricultural distress in the 

 above-mentioned department, the cause of which must be more 

 particularly looked for in the increasing depopulation, it can only be 

 hoped that this step will lead to the desired result. As we ourselves, 



*) La Revue de Grasse 1907, No. 17. 

 2 ) Ibidem, No. 16. 



