34i 



coco-nut oil known to commerce as Macassar oil, for the hair, attar 

 of Ylang-Ylang is the perfume. 



The perfumers of Europe and to a less degree the United States 

 make it the base of some of their most costly extracts. The Ma- 

 nila oil is practically without competition in the markets of the 

 western nations on account of superiority and at from $40 to §55 

 a pound is unequal to the demand. 



Hitherto, the United States supply has come through Germany 

 or France. Together with England, those countries have a mono- 

 poly of the product which is generally secured in advance under 

 contract for the entire output. 



The tree common to many localities south of Manila, is found 

 chiefly in the well populated provinces and idands, it being said 

 to thrive best near the habitations of man. The propagation in 

 plantations by seed or cuttings about 20 feet apart, each way (108 

 trees to the acre), is easy and the growth rapid in almost any soil. 

 The first flowers appear in the third, the eight year yielding often 

 as high as 100 lbs., the bloom occurring in every month. The 

 greatest yield is from July to December. 



The process of converting the long, greenish-yellow fragrant 

 petals of the flower into essence is by the simplest form of distilla- 

 tion, no chemicals of any kind being required, simply water and 

 the choicest flowers. The oil will vaporize in a closed boiler at 

 220 . The usual results follow. 



The best quality must be clear as distilled water and fragrant. 

 The second quality is yellowish and smoky. The oil is drawn from 

 the bottom of a glass separator, the water remaining. The oil is 

 filtered through talcum and ready for the market, being packed in 

 glass bottles and commands ready purchasers. 



About 75 lbs. of flowers yield one pound of oil. Flowers are 

 worth from 8 to 15 gold per pound, the cost of manufacture is 

 placed at $4 a pound. The yield in the case of attar of roses is 

 small, 150 lbs. of rose leaves producing but one ounce of oil. 



There are flowering groves in many parts of southern Luzon and 

 the Visayan Islands which may be leased. The vicinity of Manila 

 is particularly well adapted to the growth of this valuable tree." 



Pharmaceutical Review, Vol. 20, No. 4. 



Artabotrys odoratissimus. — A climbing plant often cultivated by 

 the Chinese for its sweetly scented green flowers, much smaller than 

 those of the Cananga, belongs to the same order, and has some- 

 what similar scent. It is hardly floriferous enough to be worth 

 cultivating for the extraction of the scent. 



The beautiful flowers of the Ceylon iron-wood tree, Matopus of 

 the Malays (Mesua ferrea)> belonging to the order Guttiferce, are 

 often sold dried in our local drug shops, being used in medicine 

 and cosmetics. They are deliciously scented and are used for 

 satchets etc., in India. The oil has been extracted, but does not 

 appear to have been ever brought into trade. The tree which is 

 very ornamental is a native of the Malay Peninsula but not very 

 com mon. 



