Commercial notes and scientific information. 



81 





Peppermint. 



Oil. 





Yen 



Yen 



1901 



1732983 



9663976 



1902 



772104 



9314113 



1903 



1119403 



8078547 



1904 



2308269 



7266180 



1905 2183231 8899512 



Peppermint. 

 Yen 



1906 2305076 



1907 1322772 



1908 633998 



1909 1340480 



1910 1679851 



Oil. 

 Yen 



11613683 

 10943560 

 10359236 

 11771565 

 11123214 



The value of the shipments of menthol is given on p. 104 of the same Annual 



as follows: — 



Yen 



1901 



437051 



1902 



463719 



1903 



804401 



1904 



1090742 



Yen 



1905 797626 



1906 517215 



1907 337865 



1908 263937 



Yen 



1909 490525 



1910 648857 



1911 963220 



We abstract the following particulars on the Japanese peppermint oil industry from 

 a report of the British commercial attache at Yokohama which has appeared in the 

 Board of Trade Journal 1 ). Peppermint is cultivated in different parts of Japan, mostly 

 on the hillsides, although that grown on low lying ground which can alternately be used 

 for rice is richest in crystals. As the oil which has been freed from menthol crystals 

 is inferior both in taste and odour to English and American oil, experiments have been 

 made in the cultivation of English and American peppermint, but unfortunately without 

 success. The best oil is produced in the districts of Okayama and Hiroshima, where 

 three cuts are made yearly; in May, June, and August. The first cut yields about 47 p. c. 

 of crystallised menthol 2 ), the second about 53 p. c, and the third about 60 p. c. In the 

 district of Yamagata only two, and in Hokkaido only one cut is made, but in the last- 

 named district the area under cultivation is considerably larger than in the other, so 

 that, in spite of a single crop and a crystallised-menthol-yield of only 45 p. c, more 

 than one-half of the total output of menthol is produced in the province of Hokkaido. 



The method of distilling is the same everywhere. It lasts four hours, the yield 

 from 82 lbs. of dry leaf of the first cut being 14, of the second 24, and of the third 

 21 oz. of oil, or 1,07, 1,83 and 1,60 p. c. respectively. The value of course fluctuates, 

 being dependent both upon the quality and the dryness of the leaves. The second 

 cut is always the most prolific; thus, for example, a field which produces 300 lbs. of 

 leaves in the first cut will yield 800 lbs. in the second and 600 lbs. in the third. The 

 production per acre is about 5000 lbs. of dry leaves, yielding about 80 lbs. (= 1,60 p.c.) 

 of oil. 



The price of the leaves, like that of the oil, varies and the distillers only make 

 small profits. The oil is collected by brokers, and resold to the large refineries, of 

 which there are two of importance. In the districts of Odashitsuki, Okujoto, and Bingo 

 there are so-called peppermint-guilds, who test the oil and give certificates of weight 

 and purity. In the other districts the refiners must take the oil as it comes. 



Menthol and dementholised oil are shipped in tins containing 5 lbs., twelve tins 

 to a case. The United States import only menthol, but both products are shipped 

 to other countries. In the year 1911 the exports of menthol amounted to 151538 lbs. 

 of the value of £ 98300; those of oil to 229 800 lbs., value £ 63900. The consumption 



*) Board of Trade Journal 79 (1912), 78. — 2 ) This refers exclusively to the menthol which is separated 

 out from the crude oil by simple freezing without fractionation. 



o 



