Commercial notes and scientific information. 49 



that colony. Until 25 years ago the tree was quite unknown in this region. The first 

 plantations were laid down in 1887, and in 1893 the trees flowered for the first time. 

 A ten-year-old tree is able to produce from 5 to 10 kilos of cloves. 



Cocoa Oil, essential. It was formerly assumed that the aromatic substance in 

 cocoa (from Theobroma Cacao, L. N. O. Sterculiacem) was identical with, or associated 

 with, cocoa-red. This assumption however, is quite erroneous; in fact, cocoa-red is 

 an odourless body, and the distinctive aroma of cocoa is due to the presence of an 

 essential oil. This volatile oil has been more closely examined by ). S. Bainbridge 

 and S. H. Davies 1 ). These investigators distilled 2000 kilos cocoa-nibs, which yielded 

 24 grams (=0,001 p. c.) oil, consisting of (I) the essential oil which was originally 

 present in the cocoa-nibs and (II) of a body which was probably formed only in the 

 fermentation-liquid of the nibs and which had been absorbed thereform by them. The 

 latter body consisted almost wholly of the esters of the lower fatty acids. The constants 

 of the total oil were as follow: d 15 o 0,9075, n D20 o 1,4728. It contained the following free 

 acids: valeric acid (combustion); a mixture of caprylic and w-caprinic acid (analysis 

 of the silver-salt of the acid mixture) and perhaps caproic acid. Traces of a nitrogenous 

 compound with a disagreeable odour were separated out from the oil by washing with 

 sulphuric acid. The oil contained no primary alcohols: the calcium chloride which 

 had been used for drying had not combined with alcohols. The only esters found 

 present were amyl acetate, amyl propionate, and amyl butyrate, with possibly, hexyl 

 butyrate and -propionate. The authors consider that the principal constituent (over 

 50 p. c.) of the oil which is originally present in the nibs consists of d-linalool (b. p. 87 

 to 97° [15 to 11 mm.]; d 15 o 0,8936; [«] D20 o + 11°36'; n D20O 1,4658). The phenylurethane 

 melted between 60 and 61°. 



Coffee oil. We have already on a previous occasion 2 ) reported on the aromatic 

 substances found in roasted coffee-beans; the so-called caffeol (coffee oil or caffeone). 

 Since that time, V. Grafe 3 ) has carried on investigations into the origin of the furfur 

 alcohol which is present in coffee oil, and which, with valeric acid, acetic acid, and a 

 nitrogenous aromatic substance, constitutes 50 p. c. of the coffee oil. Grafe concludes that 

 the furfur alcohol originates from the crude fibres of the coffee-beans, probably mostly 

 from the hemicellulose of the thickened endosperm cells. The fact that furane-derivatives 

 can be prepared in considerable proportions and without trouble from cellulose is in 

 accord with the derivation of furfur alcohol from the crude fibres. 



Coriander Oil. According to information received from our correspondents, the 

 coriander crop in Russia has amounted to about 10000 poods of a barely average 

 quality, and the greater portion of this has already passed into the control of firm 

 holders. When the large stocks of 1911, which had accumulated owing to the sluggish 

 demand, were used up, the coriander prices gradually advanced. We have been com- 

 pelled to follow the market and in view of the lengthy period which has still to elapse 

 before the new crop is available we see no chance of a backward movement in values. 



Cumin Oil. Some time ago 4 ) a parcel of cumin seed from Persia was offered 

 for sale on the London market. Upon distillation the seed yielded 2 p. c. of an oil 



*) Journ. chem. Soc. 101 (1912), 2209. — 2 ) E. Erdmann, Berl. Berichte 35 (1902), 1845; Report October 

 1902, 31. — 3 ) Monatsh. f. Chem. 33 (1912), 1389. — *) Perfum. and Essent. Oil Record 1 (1913), 43. 



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