COMMERCIAL NOTES AND SCIENTIFIC INFORMATION. 31 
as “below the average”. Since the beginning of the season the export trade has dragged, 
partly because for the reason stated above the United States still held large stocks, 
secondly because the consumers on the coasts of the Mediterranean were able to supply 
themselves with Bulgarian seed, and thirdly because all the users only bought as much 
as they absolutely needed, owing to the defective quality and the high price. Up to 
the beginning of March only about 800000 kilos had been exported and therefore, 
estimating the requirements of the Russian anise-oil distillers for the current year at 
about 300000 kilos, which appears to us to be a very low estimate, about 600000 kilos 
would still be available in second-hands, of which no doubt the greater part will go 
into consumption between now and the arrival of the new crop to meet current require- 
ments. With regard to the quality of the anise-seed of the 1913 crop it is to be noted 
that the first sowings suffered greatly from drought and, as a result, gave a poor yield 
of dark-coloured seed, while the second sowings yielded a medium output of green- 
coloured seed, which, however, in many cases was not completely matured. As, in 
bulking the seed, the green quality was not usually kept separate, the average quality 
was of unequal appearance. Foreign matter, especially coriander seed, was over-plentiful. 
The average oil-content of the 1913 anise is thoroughly unsatisfactory, amounting only 
to 2,2 p.c. of crude oil with an anethol-content of from 70 to 75 p.c. This inferior 
oil-yield is said to be due, in part, to the defective state of purity of the seed, for the 
higher the price, the more the seed which is brought to market is mixed with impurities. 
From the statistics it would appear that the cultivation of anise in the Government 
of Voronesh has declined. The rising value of land, the increased wages, and the trouble- 
some nature of the crop, together with the poor yields of the last few years, are causing 
the farmers to turn their attention to other products which are easier to grow and more 
remunerative. : 
It goes without saying that in view of the conditions depicted above, the prices 
of Russian anise oil were high, and that the future of the market does not hold out 
any prospects in favour of the consumer. The demand for our superior quality with 
a solidifying point of 18° has throughout been exceedingly strong, and our stock is 
therefore at present inconsiderable. 
Oil of Artemisia vulgaris, Chinese. At the Imperial Institute in London’) an 
oil-sample received from Hong-Kong under the name of ‘Ngai Yau” has been examined. 
It was probably the product of common mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris, L.). Its:characters 
were as follow: dis0 0,9390, sap. v. 103,3, sap. v. after acet. 205,87, sol. in its own vol. 
of 90 p.c. alcohol; when more alcohol was added the mixture turned turbid. 
The oil differs in respect of density and saponification value from the oil of Indian 
Artemisia vulgaris which we examined last year’). 
The U.S. Consul at Hongkong’) also reports on Chinese oil of Artemisia vulgaris, 
an article which is of local commercial importance. Its principal use is in medicine; 
it is given internally, drops of it being added to the tea, as a remedy for colds and 
similar complaints, and also externally in the form of a liniment in rheumatism and 
such-like affections. The oil is sold by the Chinese in small bottles as a patent 
medicine. At present the wholesale trade price is , 400.— local currency per picul 
= about § 1.45 gold, per Ib. 
*) Bull. Imp. Inst. 11 (1913), 436. — 7%) Report April 1918, 28. — 3) Daily Cons. and Trade Rep., 
Washington 17 (1914), No. 56, p. 906. 
