32 REPORT OF SCHIMMEL & Co. APRIL 1914. 
- Oil of Sweet Basil. This article, which used to be so popular, has remained in 
the condition of total neglect of which it has now suffered for many years. Sooner 
or later it may disappear from commerce altogether. 
On account of its origin mention may here be made of an oil of sweet basil 
produced in Central Africa. The oil was of a yellow colour, it possessed the aroma 
characteristic of oil of sweet basil and its constants harmonised with those of the 
as produced in Europe, (France, Germany and Spain), and in Algeria: dis. 0,9185, 
p — 8° 10’, npx0 1,48490, acid v. 1,1, ester v. 6,4, sol. in 4 vols. a.m. of 70 p. c. alcohol, 
an in 1 val of 80 p.c. alcohol a.m. . 
Bay Oil. There has been no lack of sufficient supplies during the last few 
months, and it has therefore been possible to reduce the price. Besides the exquisite 
West Indian qualities, however, parcels of bay oil were imported occasionally which 
had been adulterated with oil of cloves and pimento to a degree which made iden- 
tification almost impossible. As we have ascertained that these parcels have found 
buyers in the European market, we would warn the trade against allowing the price 
to be the principal guide to buying. By using such oil as described above many a 
bay-rum manufacturer has already lost his reputation and his customers. Our terpeneless 
bay oil continues to enjoy the keenest possible demand, and is particularly useful for 
manufacturers to whom the limited solubility of the natural bay oil offers an obstacle 
in the making of their preparations. 
Betel Oil. H.H. Mann, D.L. Sahasrabuddhe and V. G. Patwardhan*) have published 
an investigation into the chemistry and physiology of betel leaves. In addition to various 
reducing and non-reducing sugars, the leaves contain starch, tannin and diastases, as 
well as from 0,8 to 1,8 p.c. essential oil, the younger leaves being the richest in oil. 
The leaves are bleached in the months of August, September and October. The moistened 
leaves are kept in a warm, well-aired, shady place. After an interval of about 8 days 
the leaves that are already bleached are picked out, and the rest is left lying. About 
one-half of the leaves rot under this treatment. In the unbleached leaves the percentage 
of volatile oil remains constant, but in the bleached leaves the proportion of oil in- 
creases considerably, namely from 1,2 to 4,2 p.c. The bleaching-process is due to 
oxidation and only takes place in the presence of acids; the leaves themselves and 
the essential oil are almost completely destroyed by traces of alkali. 
Birch Bud Oil. It is well known that the high paraffin-content of this oil greatly 
impedes its solubility, and it is therefore not surprising that our readily-soluble birch 
bud oil, which is miscible with 80 p.c. alcohol in any proportion, is almost everywhere 
preferred. The difference in price is more than compensated by the advantages in use 
which this oil possesses. 
Buchu Leaf Oil. Our scanty supplies have been quite sufficient to cover the 
feeble demand. The price of buchu leaves has remained high, and we therefore intend 
to sell the whole of our stock of oi] before laying in new supplies of raw material. 
1) Mem. Dep. Agric. India, Chem. Series 3 (1913), 17; Journ. Soc. chem. Ind. 32 (1913), 922. 
