Commercial notes and scientific information. 73 



Moreover, limettin, which ordinarily separates out from the hand-expressed oil when 

 it is left standing, is also absent from the distilled oil. As a rule the citral-content 

 of the distilled oil is lower than that of the hand-expressed oil. The authors have found 

 authentic samples to show the following properties: — 



I. Hand-expressed oils: d 30 o 0,8712 to 0,8859, « D310 31,38 to 33,43° (+ ?), n D32 o 1,4789 

 to 1,4851, acid v. 1,35 to 2,8, citral content 3 ) 2,2 to 6,6 p. c. 



II. Distilled oils: d 30 o 0,8540 to 0,8858, « D31 o 33,09 to 34,89°, n D32 o 1,4702 to 1,4713, 

 acid v. 0,76 to 1,3, citral content 1 ) 1,2 to 2,0 p. c. 



Distilled limette oil is obtained as a by-product in the evaporation of lime-juice. 

 In our opinion the citric acid, during this process, acts destructively upon the con- 

 stituents of the limette oil, and enters into combination with the anthranilate, which 

 would account for the inferior quality of distilled limette oil. Possibly, too, the hand- 

 expressed oil distilled by Tempany and Greenhalgh may not have been entirely free from 

 citric acid. 



The superficial area of the island of Dominica is about 304 square miles. Of this 

 area about 17618 acres are under cultivation, of which about 5000 acres hectares are 

 planted with lime trees. Both climate and soil are excellently adapted for the growing 

 of limes 2 ). In the course of the last 30 years the lime-industry has rapidly developed 

 in the island. The first plantations date back to the year 1850. 



In the year 1910, 5761 gallons of distilled and 1018 gallons of hand-expressed limette 

 oil (oil of limes) were exported, representing a value of $ 16823 and $ 11 767 respectively. 

 In the year 1911 the exports reached 5472 gallons of distilled and 892 gallons of hand- 

 expressed oil, to the value of $ 15989 and $ 10317 respectively. 



According to H. A. Tempany and T. Jackson 3 ) the climate and soil of the island 

 of Antigua are less well suited for the cultivation of limes, although the natural 

 conditions there can by no means be described as bad. Within recent years the 

 shipments of limes from Antigua have greatly increased. The authors say nothing 

 about the preparation of limette oil in this island; it would appear that only the fruit 

 is exported from it. 



Linaloe Oil. In view of the fact that no stocks were accumulating, and that the 

 Hamburg importers had no difficulty in disposing of their consignments of Mexican 

 oil, a decided improvement in values became perceptible as early as the end of last 

 year, and an advance of several marks per kilo had to be conceded. The scarcity of 

 bergamot oil was followed by such a demand for linalyl acetate- and bergamot oil- 

 substitutes that all the arriving raw material found buyers from various quarters waiting 

 to secure it, and a corresponding reaction took place in the course of prices. The 

 same conditions have resulted in an extremely sustained demand for Cayenne linaloe 

 oil, of which the arrivals found ready buyers at prices which at last must have left a 

 profit to the manufacturers. We hear from Cayenne that there has been strong com- 

 petition for the wood and that there is no prospect of any lower prices for the oil. 

 A few parcels of Cayenne linaloe wood, which have been held in consignment in 

 Europe for the past two years, made their appearance from time to time without 

 finding a buyer. 



*) Determined by Burgess and Child's method, (comp. Report April 1902, 33). For the properties of the 

 oil also compare our Report of October 1909, 77. — 2 ) Daily Consular and Trade Reports, Washington. — 

 *) West Indian Bulletin 12 (1912), 504. 



