SCIENTIFIC AND OTHER NOTES ON ESSENTIAL OILS. 11 
In 1870, caraway cultivation was commenced in Groningen, the result, however, was 
very moderate, due partly to irrational ways of cultivation. Better results were not 
obtained until experts from Northern Holland had been called in. Meantime Southern 
Holland, Zealand, Utrecht and Northern Brabant began to get interested in caraway. 
From 1879 to 1885, cultivation fell back, but nothing is known as to the causes. Since 
then other periods of decline had to be registered, f.i. in the years 1889 and 1899. 
The author gives the size of the territory under caraway cultivation, down to 1915, 
for the whole of Holland as well as for the several provinces in the form of graphic 
tables. In 1911, 0.9 p.c. of the cultivated area of Holland was under caraway. Among 
commercial plants, caraway takes the second place, with 13.11 p.c. of the total, flax 
being first with 64.55 p.c. ; 
Caraway requires a fertile, deeply worked soil, free from weeds, clay soil in 
preference. As sowing takes place very early in spring, harvesting not being expected 
before summer of the ensuing year, the process of sowing is usually carried out in 
March or April along with a cover crop. This cover crop must ripen early, for it is 
only after its removal that the young caraway plants can develop properly. Moreover, 
it must not grow too high, otherwise it would prove disastrous to the young caraway 
shoots. 
As a general rule, peas, beans, mustard, as well as flax or oats with clover are 
chosen as cover crops. In that case flax or oats can be harvested the first year, 
green clover or clover seed the second, and caraway the third year. In the district 
of Oldambt (Groningen), spinach has been recognized in recent times as being an 
appropriate cover plant. 
It has been found useful beyond doubt to sow caraway in rows about 40 cm. apart 
(about 16 inches). The ground must be well loosened, and weeding done thoroughly, 
for weeds not only damage the young caraway plants, but affect the crop inasmuch 
as grass seed is difficult to remove from caraway seed, the commercial value being 
thus reduced. 
Many farmers resort to ploughing down caraway slightly towards winter, in order 
to protect the young plants against frost. This is, however, unnecessary, as caraway — 
is not easily affected by a wintry climate; on the other hand, weeds can be largely 
removed by ploughing. Harrowing takes place early in spring, so as to prevent the 
plants from coming to the surface yellow, which would reduce their power of resistance. 
Caraway can stand a fairly powerful nitrogenous manuring, up to 400 kg. per ha., 
spread over the autumn and the ensuing spring. Harvesting takes place between end 
of June and early July, as soon as the fruit begins to become brown on the umbels 
which were first to flower. If the crop is deferred, considerable loss is unavoidable, 
for the ripe seeds will drop out of the umbels. Caraway must be cut in the early 
hours of the morning, and only in wet weather may cutting be done at other hours 
_ of the day. Of late the mowing machine is much used in Holland, especially in 
districts where caraway abounds and where labour is scarce. The sheaves are allowed 
to lie in the fields for a day, until dry, when they are gathered into shocks. The 
sheaves are also dried on frames’). ; 
Harvesting must be done very carefully, in order to avoid losses, for if the work 
is done in a careless manner, much seed will be shaken out of the sheaves. Threshing 
is mostly done by machine. The yield amounts to from 20 to 30 bags of 50 kg. per ha. 
1) Pictures reproducing caraway harvesting and caraway cultivation in Holland will be found in our 
Report April 1911, on frontispiece as well as in the text, page 40. 
