106 Report of Schimmel § Co. 1922. 



success. From the Moramanga and Fianarantson districts, large quantities of geranium 

 leaves are exported. In the island of Mayotte belonging to the Comoro Islands, in 

 the north-west of Madagascar, the cultivation of mint, sage, verbena 1 ), and especially 

 patchouli has been started. 



The clove tree, Caryophylhts aromaticus, L., is very common in Madagascar, parti- 

 cularly in the rainy district of Ste.-Marie, Movrantsatra, and Tamatave. In 1918, 

 200 tons of cloves were exported from Ste.-Marie. 



The principal export commodity of Madagascar is the vanilla bean, which is culti- 

 vated in the north-western coast and the volcanic districts of the island, in Nossi-Be, 

 and the Comoro Islands. In Antalaka, on the northern coast of Madagascar, the annual 

 turnover of vanilla amounts to 100 tons. In order to drain the fever districts and to 

 protect other cultivations, the eucalyptus tree, E. Globulus. Lab. has been successfully 

 grown in many parts of Madagascar. Likewise, nutmeg trees (My ristica fra grans, Houtt.) 

 are cultivated in several places of that island. 



Of wild-growing aromatic plants of Madagascar, the following may be mentioned: — 

 the hazamalanga tree, the fruit of which is said to contain an oil with a strong aro- 

 matic oil 2 ); Ravensara aromatica, Gaertn., a lauracea with aromatic leaves and bark; 

 Angrcecum fragrans, Thou., an orchidea, the leaves of which, smelling of coumarin, 

 are used for scenting tea; finally, a Canarium species with a fragrant resin. 



According to an article in The Chemist and Druggist of Australasia 3 ), the large 

 plant installed by G. ). Adcock in New South Wales for the preparation of the essential 

 oils of orange, lemon, lavender, geranium, and peppermint appears to meed with good 

 success. Wages in Australia are low compared with those in other countries, and a 

 further advantage is the encouragement given by the Excise regulations which permit 

 the use of duty-free Australian spirit provided it is converted into the primary perfume 

 by adding other Australian products so as to effectively denaturise the spirit. 



Some thirty-five years ago the Victorian Government established a "perfume farm" 

 which was at first remarkably successful, but owing to lack of interest on behalf of 

 the new Goverment, turned out a failure after some time. A sad mistake, too, was 

 that the French methods for obtaining oils had been copied, e. g. the "enfleurage a 

 froid" process, withouth due regard to their suitability for Australian products, and 

 even without exact knowledge how these processes were to be carried out properly. 



According to a note in the Chemiker-Zeitung 41 ), the Spanish distillers of essential 

 oils refrain from distilling large quantities of oils, more especially of thyme oil, owing 

 to their unfavourable financial situation, and the slow demand of Spanish oils ruling 

 since October 1920. The principal buyers of thyme oil are the Americans who prefer 

 the oil of Tomillo carasqueno, a Corydothymus species growing in Southern Spain and 

 rich in carvacrol, while the French patronise the oil from Tomillo rojo (Thymus vulgaris, L.) 

 with but 20 to 47 per cent, of phenols, of which 30 to 35 per cent, thymol. 



A question in this respect was kindly answered by Mr. Felix Gutkind 5 ), Malaga, 

 as follows: — The statements in the Chemiker-Zeitung are perfectly correct. Only very 

 little rosemary oil has been distilled; but this oil can be distilled at any time of the 

 year, except in the months with excessive rainfall, so that the stocks, when scarce, 



l ) From the abstract available it is not clear whether it is the case of the true verbena, Lippia citrio- 

 dora, H. B. et K., or of the so-called Spanish verbena, Thymus hyemalis, Lange. — 2 ) From hazamalanga 

 wood, Bois de Cass, originating from Hernandia peltate, Meissn. of Madagascar we obtained years ago 1.03 to 

 2.06 per cent, oil with an odour of perilla aldehyde. The oil obtained from the fruits (0.5 per cent.) did not show 

 this odour. — s ) Chemist and Druggist 95 (1921), 48. — *) Chem.-Ztg. 45 (1921), 776. — B ) Letter of Aug. 31, 1921. 



