Scientific and other notes on essential oils. 33 



of fuel would be considerably smaller with steam distillation than with the old method, 

 and the expenses for wages would be lower too. 



The cost of the production of 190 tolas = 4.87 lbs. of oil are 10.13 rupees, if five 

 cart-loads are distilled daily (?). The rent for a modern still is estimated at about 

 6 annas 3 pies, instead of 3 annas 3 pies for the old installation. The net profits, when 

 using a steam distillation apparatus, are said to be 1 1 annas daily (?). 



The introduction of steam distillation would increase the annual output from about 

 150000 to 225000 lbs., and the author doubts whether the market can take up this 

 quantity without a considerable fall in prices. A sudden increase of the production, 

 however, seems improbable. 



At present, the output is about 150000 lbs. to the value of 750000 rupees, from 

 which the Government receives a royalty of about 45000 rupees. 



Patchouli Oil. A patchouli oil of French origin which we received from Switzer- 

 land for examination showed the following properties: duo 1.0171; « D — 51°40'; acid 

 value 0.9; ester value 108.3; soluble to any extent in 90 percent, alcohol. That the 

 sample is evidently adulterated is proved by its far too high specific gravity and ester 

 value, normal products of the kind only showing a specific gravity not exceeding 0.995, 

 and the ester number also is quite low, reaching 1.5 to 12 in oils from Singapore and 

 6 to 18 in oils from Java. The adulterant proved to be phtalic ester and amounted to 

 20 per cent, at least. The prices paid at present for pure patchouli oil make such 

 manipulations exceedingly profitable. 



Peppermint Oil. It is generally regarded as an accepted fact nowadays that 

 Mentha piperita is a hybride between Mentha aquatica and Mentha viridis. This is also 

 proved by the fact that P. van der Wielen 1 ), on sowing commercial seed from Mentha 

 piperita, obtained more than 20 different varieties of that plant, but strange to say, 

 not one of them had the characteristic smell of peppermint. Neither did he succeed 

 by means of cuttings, i. .e., by vegetative means, in producing peppermint plants in 

 Holland with a pure smell of peppermint; he concluded, however, that the shoots, 

 used for cultivation, did not originate from the right mother-plants. 



One frequently finds in literature instructions as to the best manure or fertilizer 

 for peppermint plants. Charabot and Hebert 2 ) have particularly studied this question, 

 besides L. Belle 3 ) and F. Pilz*), and recently the fertilization of peppermint has been 

 the subject of special remarks in an American 5 ) technical journal. Shortly after A. Rolet 6 ) 

 discussed this question fairly thoroughly. According to his investigations, peppermint 

 plants, owing to their strong leaf-development, demand above all things a lot of nitro- 

 genous manure. In the Maritime Alps, manure from cesspools and sesame cake is 

 principally used, which have a good effect on light, calcareous soils. Pilz 4 ) as well as 

 Rolet espacially emphasize the great demand for potash which peppermint plants show. 



According to Charabot and Hebert, a harvest of 20000 kg. of green plants deprives 

 the soil per hectare of 50 kg. nitrogen, 30 kg. phosphoric acid, and 160 kg. potash; 



J ) Pharrn. Weekblad 53 (1916), 872. — 2 ) Bull. Soc. chim. III. 27 (1902), 204; Report October 1902, 67. — 

 Compt. rend. 136 (1903), 160; Beport April 1903, 61. — Compt. rend. 186 (1903), 1009, 1678. — Bull. Soc. chim. III. 

 29 (1903), 612, 698; Report October 1903, 57. — *) Journ. Parfum. et Saoonn. 20 (1907), 80; Report October 

 1907, 74. — *) Zeitschr. f. landw. Versuchswesen in Osterreich 15 (1912), 575; Report October 1912, 91. — 

 B ) Oil, Faint and Drug Reporter 88 (1915), N° 23, 11; Report October 1916, 43. — «) Parfum. tnoderne 9 (191b), 

 Suppl. p. 98. 



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