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for the delay. No definite information is yet available as to the ex- 

 tension of the area devoted to caraway-growing, but it is reported that, 

 as compared with 1908, more has been planted in Brabant, Flanders 

 and Zealand, considerably more in Groningen, and one-third more in 

 North Holland. Many farmers are said to have put the whole of 

 their land under caraway. This considerable extension of the area 

 under cultivation is probably to be ascribed to the good prices which 

 were realised last season. The only stocks of caraway are now in 

 the hands of the exporters, and an important decline in the price is 

 all the more improbable for the present because the existing sup- 

 plies may hardly last until the new crop is on the market. New 

 season's seed for August/September delivery is being offered for the 

 present at about 2 5 °/ less than seed for immediate delivery. So 

 far, therefore, the prospects are favourable, and if the anticipations are 

 not dashed to the ground by bad weather in the spring and summer, 

 low caraway oil prices are to be expected next autumn. Until then 

 the market will probably remain approximately as it is now. 



Cassia Oil. The expectations expressed in our last Report have 

 even been exceeded by the changes in prices of the article, inasmuch 

 as the quotations for 80 to 85 per cent, oil have since then receded 

 to 3/5, probably in the first place under the pressure of the low rate of 

 exchange for silver. Even at the present time, owing to want of demand, 

 the market wears a thoroughly lifeless aspect, so that we think we 

 are justified in prophesying a further reduction in value. 



Oil of Cassie Blossoms. On the subject of the occurrence 

 and cultivation of the two varieties of acacia which yield the oil of 

 cassie flowers, 'viz., Acacia Farnesiana Willd. and A. Cavenia Hook, et 

 Arn., we abstract the following particulars from an article by L. Ma- 

 zuyer 1 ). The original habitat of the cassie shrub is India, but it is 

 also a native of Angola, Australia, the Sandwich Islands and the 

 Philippines 2 ). It has been introduced by cultivation into Italy, France, 

 Algeria, Egypt and Syria, and the name Farnesiana is said to have 

 been derived from the fact that the plant was first grown in the 

 gardens of Farnese. Both varieties of acacia are found in Provence, 

 in France. The flowers of A. Farnesiana, known in commerce as 

 Cassie Ancienne, have a finer odour and are more expensive (about 

 fr. 5 to 6 per kilo) than those of A. Cavenia (about fr. 2 to 3 per 

 kilo). The usual trade name of the latter variety, Cassie Romaine, 

 is probably traceable to its having been brought from Italy to Cannes 

 about a century ago. A. Cavenia has the advantage of being less 



*) Journ. de la Parfumerie et Savonnerie 21 (1908), 254. 

 2 ) With regard to its occurrence in other places (Cuba, New Caledonia, and 

 the Congo State), see our Reports April 1905, 21; April 1907, 27. 



