Commercial notes and scientific information. 79 



were rushed up comparatively quickly by operators who had covered their requirements 

 in other peppermint districts, in order to make sure that they would be able to carry 

 out the contracts for future delivery into which they had entered. Fundamentally there 

 was no cause for such action, because the loss occasioned by the weather had been 

 made good by the enlargement of the plantations, and in the upshot therefore the 

 result of the crop was ample for the world's requirements. Fortunately the excite- 

 ment was shortlived, and in view of the circumstance that two or three of the largest 

 and financially strongest producers hold fairly considerable stocks, wherewith they 

 are able to meet the needs of the market, we are likely to be spared surprises within 

 the near future, but it does not appear impossible that prices will become still firmer, 

 because the producers are naturally anxious not to lose money. But on the other 

 hand they may find it impossible to dictate their own prices to the market, because 

 so far as appearances go the New York dealers hold sufficient stock to cover the 

 current requirements. There is no doubt that a certain proportion of 1912 oil will be 

 carried over into the new season. The quality of last year's oil appears to have been 

 fairly good everywhere, as the fields were on the whole free from weeds, but in any 

 case it was not quite equal to that of the year before. This difference in quality is 

 probably due to the severe showers which damaged the leaves and caused them to 

 fall. As a result the peppermint, in many localities, showed a disproportionate amount 

 of stalk in comparison with the leaf. 



It would be too soon as yet to express an opinion on the prospects of the present 

 year's crop, for as yet no reports have been received showing the condition of the 

 plantations after the close of the winter. Our two brands "F. S. § Co." and "F. B." have 

 been in exceptionally brisk demand during the winter, which shows that the care taken 

 by our New York firm to buy for us none but the best oil which can be had, has been 

 generally appreciated. 



Peppermint Oil, English. During the winter -months trade in this article has 

 been very quiet indeed at unchanged prices. Our London branch reports that in 

 the opinion of its informants the market value of the oil is out of proportion to the 

 unfavourable result of the last crop and that the only reason why the prices have 

 been kept at such a comparatively low level was the competition of "cheap" Mitcham 

 oils, which were being offered from all quarters. It is said that the stocks of really 

 pure oil are very small indeed, and that such oils are firmly held at from 30/- to 

 31/- per lb. by a few financially strong dealers. On dry soil the plants are said to 

 have stood the winter well, whereas the damp fields appear to have suffered some- 

 what considerable damage. The further development will of course depend entirely 

 upon the weather-conditions of the next 3 or 4 months and it would be premature to 

 forecast the result of the coming crop at the present time. This, however, is certain, 

 that there is scarcely any chance of a fall in prices, for within the past two years 

 very few new plantations have been laid down, and the production will therefore not 

 be increased for the present. On the other hand the fact that the consumption of 

 English peppermint oil on the Continent of Europe has fallen off considerably is of 

 importance in considering the course of the market. This decline is due to the 

 circumstance that in view of the keen competition in all peppermint' preparations 

 comparatively few manufacturers are able to afford the luxury of using such an 

 expensive flavouring agent; the majority having recourse to American peppermint oiL 

 The steadily increasing sale of our "F. S. $ Co." brand, of which our New York firm 

 is doing its utmost to perfect the quality, is a proof of this. 



