m — 55 — 



has been realized fully and even beyond anticipation, for as a matter of 

 fact it became clearer and clearer, as the summer went on, that the 

 quantities of oil of the various fruits of the agrumi which had been pro- 

 duced during this year's season had fallen not inconsiderably below those 

 produced in previous years. 



Owing to the high prices which were reached in the course of the 

 summer the consumption decreased, and it is merely because of this 

 that the want of oil has not been more severely felt, and in the case of 

 lemon and orange oils such a want actually does exist. 



Bergamot Oil. The abnormally high prices of bergamot oil have 

 diminished the consumption of this article to an extent which had not 

 been anticipated, the consumers having sought and found substitutes in 

 other and cheaper odoriferous substances. It may be boldly asserted that 

 the consumption of bergamot oil has diminished by more than one half, 

 and only the exceptionally small crop of last season has made it possible 

 for the article to maintain a high level of prices in spite of the greatly 

 reduced purchases from abroad. 



The prices of bergamot oil, which stood at about 60 &ft per kilo , in 

 April of this year, have only experienced slight fluctuations during the 

 subsequent six months, sagging at times to as low a figure as 54.55 cM 

 and then again advancing a few marks, an up-and-down movement which 

 was repeated several times in the course of the summer. 



In- view of the smallness of the available supplies, however, even the 

 slight demand from abroad, which was at no time entirely absent, was 

 sufficient to maintain the oil at its high price-level. 



The new flowering of the bergamot-trees did not present a particulary 

 favourable appearance from the beginning; the last winter-season had 

 brought very little rain, the storms of January completely stripped the 

 trees of their foliage, and the trees had not vigour enough both to put 

 forth fresh foliage and to cause the fruit to set satisfactorily. 



While therefore on the one hand the available supplies of oil are 

 scarcely worth mentioning, it must also be borne in mind that the coming 

 crop will fall below the average. 



A favourable or unfavourabe course of atmospheric conditions during 

 the time of gathering and manufacturing, and the greater or less oil-content 

 of the new fruit will affect the range of values of the new oil adversely 

 or otherwise; but this much is certain, that during the coming season 

 very high prices are still likely to rule, and that no return to the values 

 which used to prevail before the great rise of last year set in is to be 

 expected this season. 



Assuming that no unfavourable influences obtain ascendancy during 

 the harvesting -season, it would seem to be reasonable to expect that 

 the price of the new bergamot oil will be about 50 &4t per kilo. 



