COMMERCIAL NOTES AND SCIENTIFIC INFORMATION. 87 
been used in the country itself and in India, but owing to the favourable market con- 
ditions of last year, small experimental consignments were sent to London. The price 
of the Persian oil ranges from 12 to 15 krans (4s. 4d. to 5s. 6d.) per small bottle, 
of one-eighth ounce. Adulteration is said to be practised to some extent by the 
distillers with both vegetable and highly-refined mineral oils. Persian attar is said to 
have marked qualities of its own, which makes it quite different from the Bulgarian 
product. One analysis made in London gave the following characters: m. p. 26 to 27°; 
opt. rot. 3° (— 2) refractive index 1,456. 
The preparation of rose water in the district of Fars, between Bushire and Shiraz, 
is of greater importance. Roses have been cultivated there on.a large scale for many 
centuries. The working-up of the rose petals, and the manufacture of the glass carboys 
in which the rose-water is packed, are special industries in the district. 
The total output of rose water has been estimated at 400 tons, or 10000 cases 
yearly, and there is considerable consumption in Persia itself. The quantities exported 
in 1912/13 were 6,519 cases, weighing 187 tons, and 6,040 carboys weighing 82 tons 
to India and Bahrein. So far there has been no demand from Europe. The yield of 
roses was larger than usual in 1913, but owing to lack of rain a vegetable product, 
which is used with certain local earths in manufacturing the crude green glass carboys, 
was not obtainable in sufficient quantities, and there was a smaller output of rose water 
than usual. 
Prices were in 1912/13 20 to 22 krans (7s. 3d. to 8s.) per carboy containing 
about 39 lbs. weight, and 36 to 40 krans (13 s. to 14s. 6d.) per case weighing about 
62 Ibs. (21 bottles), or 1°/: krans per bottle. 
Rosemary Oil. Throughout the time covered by our Report there has been no 
lack of oils possessing the properties of pure French distillate, nor of Dalmatian oil. 
The prices have undergone no change, but they will doubtless be able to maintain 
their present level. 
Sage Oil. This article is now manufactured in Dalmatia so cheaply and is so 
well worth the money asked for it, that distillation here has become unprofitable. We 
would take this opportunity, however, of warning the producers against taking too 
Sanguine a view of the possibilities of the demand, and of advising them to beware 
of over-production, in order that the satisfaction they derive from this still somewhat 
novel source of revenue may not be thoroughly spoilt by its becoming unprofitable. 
Oil of Salvia cypria. Salvia cypria, Ung. et Kotschy (N. O. Labiate), a native 
of the Island of Cyprus, affords a pale-yellow oil’) with an odour reminding of camphor 
and of camphor oil. Two samples were found to possess the following constants: 
d= 0,9263 and 0,925, «p20 — 6°31’ and — 22923’, sap. v. 13,9 and 8, sap. v. after acet. 
38,9 and 36, sol. in 0,8 and in 1 vol. of 80 p.c. alcohol. This oil differs from ordinary 
Sage oil in being lzvorotatory. It contains about 75 p. c. cineol (resorcinol method) 
and a little camphor. 
One of the above oils agrees fairly well with a sample which we received from 
the Imperial Institute some years ago, and which we described in our Report of 
October 1910, p. 112. Lzavorotatory sage oils of different origin are also mentioned 
in our Reports of October 1905, 62; October 1907, 81 and April 1909, 82. 
1) Bull. Imp. Inst. 11 (1913), 429. 
