Commercial notes and scientific information. 75 



Mustard Oil. The position of this article remains unchanged, and within the 

 past six months the fact, already previously pointed out by us, that the use of genuine 

 oil has decreased in favour of that of artificial mustard oil, has been confirmed. Our 

 output of the latter is increasing rapidly, but prices are firm, as the raw material has 

 in part experienced a not inconsiderable advance in price. 



On the occurrence of myrosine and allyl isosulphocyanate in cauliflower seeds 

 see p. 108. 



Neroli Oil. An exceptionally mild winter has greatly assisted in promoting the 

 normal deyelopment of the trees, and unless excessive drought or late night -frosts 

 should set in a very good crop, scarcely falling below that of last season, may be 

 expected. The total quantity of flowers produced in 1912 in the South of France is 

 estimated at from 2800000 to 2 900 000 kilos and of this total, as stated in our last 

 Report, 1900 000 kilos fell to the share of the Societe Cooperative des proprietaires 

 d'orangers. The excessive production of flowers injuriously affected their sale to 

 distillers, with the result that the Society found itself compelled to work up 800 000 kilos 

 for its own account. Great dissatisfaction has naturally been caused among the 

 members of the Society by the fact that the owners of orange-trees who refrained 

 from throwing in their lot with the Society have done better last year than the 

 members themselves, and the general meeting convened for March 30 is to decide 

 whether or not the distillation of neroli oil in the works belonging to the Society is 

 to be given up, and whether it will not be better to sell the flowers to distillers at 

 prices at which it will not pay them to grow them themselves. In that case the price 

 of the flowers would no doubt fall to 40 or 45 centimes per kilo, which would be 

 equivalent to a price of about 300 Fr. per kilo for neroli oil. If the majority should 

 decide to continue the present method of working, it would be necessary to extend 

 the Society's own distilling plant still further, but in that case the Society would at 

 least be able to allow its members from 60 to 70 centimes per kilo of flowers, which 

 would be ample to cover the cost of cultivation. The price of neroli oil of the season 

 1913 would in that case figure out at from 350 Fr. to 400 Fr. per kilo, which would 

 be about the same as in 1912. It is to be hoped that an agreement will be reached 

 between all the interested parties, for if not, it is quite on the cards that the cultiva- 

 tion of orange-trees in the South of France may be abandoned as no longer a paying 

 business. We are regretfully compelled to withhold the report of the result of the 

 general meeting until our next Report; but this much is already certain that, given 

 normal conditions of weather, genuine neroli oil will again be obtainable this year at 

 advantageous prices. 



Nutmeg Oil. The difficulty of procuring nutmegs with a satisfactory oil-content 

 at reasonable prices made itself so seriously felt within the last few months that the 

 long-expected increase in prices became an actual fact. In spite of the advance, 

 however, the oil is selling very briskly indeed, for it would appear that the cheap 

 stocks in consumers' hands are quite exhausted. Large orders received from the 

 United States could only be executed with considerable delay, but for some time past 

 distilling has been again in progress at our works at a full pace, and the scarcity of 

 oil is therefore a thing of the past. It is probable that for some time to come prices 

 will remain at their present level, for it still continues difficult to find nutmegs which 

 are suitable for distilling. 



