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during the flowering time has finally destroyed all expectations of a 

 normal crop, and we now have to make the best of a most un- 

 favourable result. The yield is estimated at about one -third of that 

 of last year. Contrary to their previous habit of rushing up the prices, 

 the distillers were only willing to pay from 7 to 10 fr. for the flowers, 

 because business in the article was exceedingly lifeless, and because 

 the presumption is that in the near future the demand for lavender 

 oil will not be large enough specially to tax the resources of the 

 suppliers. In the expectation of an increase in the duty of lavender 

 oil in the new American Customs Tariff, and taking advantage of the 

 low prices in the early part of the year, such quantities are said to 

 have been shipped to the United States that the requirements of 

 this important consuming market are richly provided for the next 

 2 years. If this rumour should turn out to be well-founded, there 

 is the possibility that the failure of the crop will in the long run only 

 have a slight effect upon the course of prices. At the first market 

 held at Digne on 4 th September, however, very high rates were 

 asked, but only a few transactions were concluded, as the buyers, 

 who were numerously represented, refused to concede the demands. 

 Reliable information as to the course of prices will not be available 

 until after the next following markets at Apt and Sault. 



During the gathering of the crop our works at Barreme were fully 

 occupied. Although there was some difficulty in obtaining a suffi- 

 ciency of material, we have again been able to distil a considerable 

 quantity of oil, to the exquisite quality of which we again call attention; 

 the ester-content, however, is this year a little less than formerly. It 

 remains to be added that our stocks are not important, and that 

 they may soon be off our hands. 



We have distilled a few grammes of oil of lavender from a small 

 quantity of Barreme lavender plants which have flourished compara- 

 tively well in the Alpine garden of our works at Miltitz. This oil agreed 

 with the oil obtained by us in Barreme, and, like it, was distinguished 

 by a high ester - content. It had a good and intense odour, a 

 pale yellow colour, and only the solubility left a little to be desired, 

 which is possibly due to the difference in soil. The constants of the 

 oil were as follows: — d 15 o 0,8888, «d — 8° 40', n D2 o° 146010, 

 acid no. 0,5, ester no. 157,6, corresponding to 55,1% linalylacetate. 

 It gave a cloudy solution in 10 vols, or more of 70 /o alcohol. 



Lemongrass Oil. Since our last Report prices of this oil have 

 only shown unimportant fluctuations, and they remain to-day practi- 

 cally unchanged at about 2 d. for future delivery and 2 1 j± d. for prompt 

 delivery. The shipments from Cochin between I st July 1908 and 

 30 th June 1909 have been as follows: — 



