- 65 - 



extensive scale. In the course of the last few years we have fre- 

 quently had occasion to examine similar lemongrass oils from the 

 German Colonies in the Pacific and have found them to equal, 

 as regards their properties, the oils which we have received from the 

 West Indies, Mexico, Brazil, Java, Africa, etc. As their aldehyde content 

 is fairly high, the New Guinea oils will be very suitable for the pre- 

 paration of citral. Four samples of New Guinea oils showed the 

 following constants: — 



I II III IV 



d 15 o 0,8850 0,8852 0,8923 0,8810 



an — o°i5' — o°22' — i i5' — o°n' 



Citral content: 78% 78% 6 5 % 76% 



Solubility: All the oils are insoluble in 70 per cent, alcohol; with 80 and 90 per cent, 

 and even with absolute alcohol they give at first clear solutions, but 

 when more of the solvent is added cloudiness or opalescence sets in. 



Another lemongrass oil which was sent to us for report from 

 Uganda (British East Africa) possessed exactly similar properties: 

 di 5 o 0,8703, «p io°, citral content 67 per cent., insoluble in 70 and 

 80 per cent, alcohol; with 90 per cent, and with absolute alcohol it 

 dissolved clear at first, becoming turbid when more solvent was added. 



Limette Oil. We learn from the Pharmaceutical Journal 1 ) that 

 in the island of Dominica the lime industry has reached an extraordi- 

 nary development. In 1907 the crop of fruit reached 272229 barrels, 

 an increase of 32000 barrels as compared with 1906. The area under 

 cultivation has been greatly extended, and it is estimated that in the 

 year just closed from 400 to 450 acres were under cultivation. Lime- 

 growing is also steadily increasing in the island of Montserrat, where 

 it has again reached its former importance. The fruit is chiefly grown 

 for its juice, limette oil being a by-product. 



Linaloe oil. The price - conditions of this article persistently 

 decline to assume a more favourable aspect. It is true that the im- 

 porters have occasionally cleared out small parcels at less than the 

 market-rate, and that more favourable purchases could at times be made, 

 especially in Paris, but when, owing to the catastrophe in Southern 

 Italy, an extraordinary demand set in for linalyl acetate as a sub- 

 stitute for bergamot oil, the quotations rushed up to the extent of 

 20%. But now that the effects of the earthquake have been to 

 some extent overcome, and bergamot oil is again available, it is pro- 

 bable that there will be no further call upon the linaloe oil market for 

 this particular purpose. Hence the position is likely to become quieter 

 again before long. 



1 ) Pharmaceutical Journal 82 (1909), 19. 



