34 REPORT OF SCHIMMEL & Co. OCTOBER 1914/ APRIL 1915. 
Evidently the object aimed at with this Act is to create a central body comprising 
all domestic peppermint producers and dealers, so as to enable them to make a firm 
stand against the peppermint exporters. In this manner it is hoped to prevent the 
latter, comprising only about 3 to 4 firms, from forming a ring with a view to regulating 
purchase prices, a combine against which the farmers would be powerless. 
The Bill was brought in but a few days before the close of the session. Whether 
it will make its appearance once again next session remains to be seen. As the 
adoption of such an Act would undoubtedly make its influence felt on the course of 
prices of peppermint, parties interested in this article will follow the fate of the Bill 
with particular attention. 
According to K. Irk*) the Japanese peppermint plant grows very well in Hungary. 
He succeeded in propagating slips of Mentha canadensis var. piperascens, obtained from 
Berlin-Dahlem in 19117). The oil distilled in 1913 from herb produced by slips had 
the following properties: d=> 0,8968; np2;0 1,4606; ester v. 19,6; ester menthol 5,54 p.c.; 
free menthol 75,58 p.c.; total menthol 81,12 p.c. The herb grown from seeds yielded 
an oil showing @) — 34,14° and containing 76,01 p.c. of total menthol. As will be seen, 
plants grown from seed contain less menthol than those reared from slips. 
Peru Balsam Oil. About the composition of this oil, see page 58 of this Report. 
Oil of Phoberos cochinchinensis. According to Roure-Bertrand Fils*), Phoberos 
cochinchinensis, Lour. (Scolopia cochinchinensis, Clos., N.O. Flacourtiaceae) is a tree of a 
little more than 3 m. high, occurring in Annam, and provided with thorns. Customs 
authorities call this tree Citrus montana. 100 kilos of green leaves and stalks 
are said to yield upon distillation about 90 g. (= 0,09 p.c.) of volatile oil, of the 
following properties: diso 0,9042; a) -+3°2’; acid v. 2,5; ester v. 51,1; ester v. after 
acetylation 127,9; soluble in +/; volume of 85 p.c. alcohol, the solution showing 
turbidity later on; soluble in every proportion of 90 p.c. alcohol. In its odour the 
oil resembles Portugal oil (sweet orange oil). . 
Pine-needle Oils. In a series of essays, A. W. Schorger*) describes the needle 
oils of various American conifers. So far hemlock or spruce -pine-needle oils and 
cedar leaf oil were chiefly produced. The value of the yearly consumption hereof is 
estimated by Schorger to reach § 50000.—. The yearly consumption of spruce pine- 
needle oil amounts to about 40 to 50000 Ibs., and of cedar leaf oil to about 15 to 
20000 Ibs. Spruce oil is mostly used for perfuming boot polishes and cart grease. 
Schorger points out the possibility of distilling other pine-needle oils in considerable 
quantities, though he questions whether these oils would be of use in commerce. In 
the United States, when cutting down pine forests, the tops of the trees are left lying 
about or are burnt. In this manner much material is lost. For this reason Schorger 
has examined the oils of a number of American pine trees, in order to ascertain 
whether it would be advisable to distil the waste material in question. 
With a view to ascertaining the connection between the anatomical structure of 
the leaves and the yield in oil, he examined transverse sections of the needles of 
Pinus palustris, P. heterophylla and P. ponderosa, finding that the needles of the first- 
1) Pharm. Zentralh. 55 (1914), 459. See also p. 65 of this Report. — *) Comp. Report April 1911, 92. — 
8) Berichte von Roure-Bertrand Fils April 1914, 7. — +) Journ. Ind. Eng. Chemistry 6 (1914), 723, 809, 893; 
7 (1915), 24. “aa > 
