Commercial and scientific notes on essential oils. 27 



and the following constants: — d 20 o 0.9033; « D67 o — 12°10'; n D12 . 5 o 1.4800; acid v. 3.7; 

 ester v. 18.67; sap. v. 22.37; soluble in 0.5 to 5 vol. 90 per cent, alcohol 1 ). The distilled 

 waters yielded on extraction with petrolether 0.02 per cent, of an oil of a still finer 

 odour than the original and of the following constants: — d± 7 . 5 0.9755; a D170 — 2° 40'; 

 acid v. 18.67; ester v. 22.40; sap. v. 41.07; soluble in 0.5 and more vol. 90 per cent, alcohol. 

 Concerning the various species of cistus, from which the ladanum resin is obtained, 

 A. Camus 2 ) has published an extensive research in which he deals in particular with 

 the botanical characteristics of Cistus ladaniferus, L. and Cistus monspeliensis, L. Of the 

 former plant, which occurs almost all round the Mediterranean, three subspecies are 

 known:— albiflorus. Dunal, macidatus, Dunal and stenophyllus, Dunal. As the different kinds 

 of cistus have characteristic forms of hair, it is possible to determine the botanical 

 origin of the ladanum resin accurately from the hair which are always found in the resin. 



Lavender Oil, French. — The general decline in prices has naturally affected also the 

 lavender oil market, and though at present prices are demanded which must still be 

 considered extraordinarily-high, it is clearly apparent that the obstinacy of the 

 producers, who last autumn insisted upon prices of 275 and even 300 fr. for their 

 finest qualities, will not long hold out in view- of the actual state of affairs. At the 

 present moment the producers demand for a product with more than 50 per cent, of 

 ester 165 fr., with 40 per cent, of ester 120 fr. (our own lavender oil extra) and with 

 35 per cent, of esters (so-called "Mont-Blanc") 115 fr. It need hardly be said that with 

 these prices no more than the most indispensable quantities are bought for current 

 needs, and we should not be surprised if, considering the little-satisfactory aspect of 

 the industry of perfumes and soaps, large stocks would have to be taken over into the 

 new harvest. 



According to news from England 3 ) the cultivation of lavender has seriously diminished 

 near Mitcham. In the whole county of Surrey only 10 acres are still said to be under 

 lavender cultivation. 



A brochure recently published by the French Ministry of Commerce 4 ) deals with 

 the extension and the cultivation of lavender in France. The brochure is based upon 

 the classification of Jordan who distinguishes two subspecies of Lavandula officinalis, L, 

 Lavandula angustifolia (fragrans) and L. delphinensis. Whilst L. angustifolia likes light and 

 dry ground, L. delphinensis thrives better in shaded and moist localities. Intermediate 

 between these two species are, however, numerous transition forms. Both the genuine 

 lavender and the spike lavender require calcareous soil, by contrast to L. Stcechas, L, 

 which prefers a silicious soil. L. officinalis was found by A. Humbert at an altitude 

 of 700 m. in sunny spots in the Departement Aveyron to the north of the Causses and 

 south of Millau, but also at much lower altitude (400 m.) and on slopes looking north 

 in the north of the Ventoux 5 ). Near Rouy, in the Dauphine, the plant still occurred at 

 an altitude of 1800 m., whilst as a rule near the Ventoux in the neighbourhood of Die, 

 and at Veynes in the Hautes Alpes, 1500 to 1600 m. are the extreme altitude limits 

 of this plant. 



Humbert questions the view that Lavandula delphinensis occurs only at high altitudes. 

 Thus Lavandula fragrant grows on the southern slopes of the Glandasse up to a height 



: ) The oil strongly resembles the oil of Cistus ladaniferus which we examined; cf. Gildemeister and Hoff- 

 mann, foe. (At., vol. Ill, p. 179. — 2 ) Ibidem. — 3 ) Perfum. Record 11 (1920), 257. — 4 ) Ibidem 11 (1920), 

 251. — ', Cf. Gildemeister and Hoffmann, foe. cit., vol. Ill, p. 426 (map). 



