Notes on scientific research. 109 



in quantity and 64.4 per cent, in value in the manufacture of wintergreen oil. The 

 output of wormwood oil and other volatile oils showed an increase in value of 

 5.7 per cent. The production of witch hazel extract rose by 32.6 per cent, in quantity 

 and 37.2 per cent, in value. 



Of the 108 works to which the 1914 report refers, 53 were in Michigan, 29 in 

 Indiana, 7 in Connecticut, 6 in New York, 3 in New Hampshire, 3 in New Jersey, 2 in 

 in Pennsylvania and 1 each in California, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Tennessee and 

 Wisconsin. 



Hereafter, we put before our readers once again the statistical data for 1914 and 

 1909 in the form of tables: — 



1914 1909 increase or decrease 



number of factories 108 74 + 45.9 per cent. 



total value of the products ... 2565361 dollars 1 773 304 dollars + 44.7 „ „ 

 values and quantities of the several oils: 



peppermint oil 363991 lbs. 305 781 lbs. + 19.0 „ „ 



601 617 dollars 519079 dollars + 15.9 „ „ 



spearmint oil . 94209 lbs. 33400 lbs. +182.1 „ „ 



238074 dollars 83283 dollars +185.9 „ „ 



sweet birch oil 41 178 lbs. 67053 lbs. — 38.6 „ „ 



67 691 dollars 102045 dollars — 33.7 „ „ 



wintergreen oil 6 000 lbs. 22281 lbs. — 73.1 „ „ 



24538 dollars 68983 dollars — 64.4 „ „ 



wormwood oil 4702 lbs. 1 x 00 -V" ■« u , e _ 



338415 dollars + 5.7 



9 040 dollars 



other essential oils . . . . . . 348 522 dollars 328901 dollars 



witch hazel extract 917 690 gallons 691 823 gallons + 32.6 „ „ 



575938 dollars 419 793 dollars + 37.2 „ „ 



all other products 699941 dollars 241 706 dollars 



The figures published by the Census Bureau seem to be open to criticism in 

 several respects. The periodical, e. g., from which we copy the census report, points 

 out that, without any doubt, the production of wintergreen (gaultheria) oil has increased 

 since the "pure food law" came into force, but it is impossible to indicate with any 

 claim to an even only approximate accuracy how great this increase may be. The 

 quantities manufactured by the various producers are small and represent but a small 

 fraction of what is consumed of its substitutes, i. e. sweet birch oil and artificial winter- 

 green oil (methyl salicylate). 



The indication regarding the decrease of the production of birch bark oil is said to be 

 almost correct/ the cause of it being, it is supposed, the exhaustion of the raw material. 



The figures published by the Census Bureau show for 1914 an increase of 19 per cent. 

 over 1909 in the production of peppermint oil, whereas it results from private statistics 

 that the increase is far more considerable, 1914 having been a "bumper" year with a 

 crop of more than 600000 lbs. The annual production is now estimated at about 

 400000 lbs., against about half this quantity twenty years ago. 



The enormous increase in the production of spearmint oil will have struck our 

 readers. We have repeatedly discussed the subject in previous Reports 1 ). It is im- 



!) Reports April 1908, 99; April 1911, 106; April 1912, 117; October 1912, 103; April 1913, 96; October 

 1913, 99 ; October 1915, 36. 



