Scientific and other notes on essential oils. 47 



growing has increased fairly well quite lately in the district of Diarbekir. It has gone 

 down, however, in the sandjak of Afion-Karahissar, especially in the kasa of Afion- 

 Karahissar, where only 5 donums of the former 50 are left, the others having been 

 destroyed by animals or been neglected, owing to the numerous calls to the colours and, 

 above all, to the fact that most of the Armenians, formerly residing there, have been 

 transferred some time ago. 



The Anatolian peasants are by no means so opposed to innovations as is generally 

 supposed; in fact, many of them started with ability growing roses, when the extra- 

 ordinarily high prices, paid for Anatolian otto of roses a few years back, promised 

 uncommonly good profits. But in many cases a discouragement set in, as the prices 

 went down soon after, although they nevertheless still left a fair margin, for everybody 

 had been spoilt by the former elevated quotations. The disappointment increased as, 

 with the outbreak of war, the sales became difficult and the prices sank still further, 

 so that at present there is on a whole but little inclination to extend the fields. It is 

 even reported that in some places, where the poppies prosper, one intends to destroy 

 part of the rose fields, should the present low prices continue (see farther ahead), 

 and to grow the now remunerative poppies instead. 



The greater part of the roses grown in Anatolia are said to descend from the 

 shrubs smuggled in 22 years ago from Kazanlik. The variety with rosy double flowers, 

 each with 35 to 40 petals, still grown near Kazanlik, predominates. About 350 to 

 400 flowers are required for 1 oka = 1282 grams. The white-flowering rose is grown 

 on a smaller scale and almost only in the vilayet of Brussa. It yields more flowers 

 but less oil, and this only fetches lower prices, but is willingly bought by the dealers, 

 who mix it with the more valuable otto from the rosy Kazanlik flowers and thus do 

 good business. 



Besides, the indigenous so-called "hafis" rose is grown in the vilayet of Brussa. 

 It has smaller leaves, no thorns and small, double, dark red flowers. Its yield in 

 flowers and oil is extraordinarily high, but the latter is said to be inferior. However, 

 the dealers buy it willingly for the reason stated above. The Brussa peasants are 

 specially inclined to grow this "hafis" rose, slips of which have also been sent to 

 Bulgaria. In Burdur, a start was made to plant this kind, but the Government ordered 

 the shrubs to be removed, prompted by the justified desire to prevent the quality of 

 the rose oils from getting inferior, so that at present the "hafis" and the white Kazanlik 

 rose are only grown in the vilayet of Brussa. 



Rose growing in Asia Minor is done exclusively on a small scale. In most cases 

 the rose gardens only comprise a few donums. Near Burdur, they are surrounded by 

 brick walls, which are in bad repair, however, since the great earthquake of 1913. It 

 is rumoured that then 400 donums of rose gardens sank to the bottom of the Burdur 

 Lake and are now about &/% metres below its level. 



The care of the gardens reduces itself to keeping the interstices between the rows 

 of rose bushes free of weeds and to ploughing or hoeing the soil or, at least, loosen- 

 ing it round the shrubs. In the often rainless time from June to October, the gardens 

 must be watered at intervals, for which purpose small water furrows are made round 

 the shrubs. In November, the soil is heaped up about 10 cm. high round the roots, 

 in order to protect them against frost. In March, the dry or diseased branches are 

 removed and every 10 years the shrubs are cut down almost to the ground. It is 

 advantageous to manure every 3 or 4 years. 



The gardens give the first crop in the second year after having been laid out; it 

 goes on rising in the second and third, reaching its climax in the fourth, following 



