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When geraniol is heated with concentrated formic acid at 80° to 
100°, it decomposes, like linalol, almost quantitatively into terpenes 
and polyterpenes, with loss of water. It might be possible that nerol 
would be less readily attacked by formic acid, and that, therefore, by 
heating crude nerol with formic acid, nerol might be produced free 
from geraniol by means of phthalic anhydride from the saponified 
mixture of terpenes, poly terpenes, and neryl formate. We accordingly 
heated 7 grams of the crude nerol (fraction 225° to 227°) obtained 
by Hesse and Zeitsch el's method, with 10 grams concentrated formic 
acid on a water bath, until the turbidity due to loss of water occurred, 
and thereupon immediately diluted with water. The quantitative saponi- 
fication of the washed neutral oil showed that it contained 39 per cent, 
of a formate, calculated on neryl formate. The bulk of the washed 
mixture, consisting of terpenes, polyterpenes and the unattacked alcohol, 
distilled at 15 mm from 80° to 170°. This fraction which still possessed 
a rose-like odour, was, after adding a small quantity of benzene, with 
the same weight of phthalic anhydride heated on a w^ater bath, and 
the acid phthalic ester of the alcohol thereby formed extracted with soda, 
and all impurities removed by extraction with ether. When thephthalate 
was heated with soda liquor, an alcohol with a geraniol-like odour was 
separated, which was obtained by steam-distillation. The quantity was 
too small to determine whether this alcohol differs from geraniol. 
We do not doubt, however, that v. So den and Zeitsch el will 
soon succeed in producing nerol quite free from geraniol, and in 
elucidating the nature of this compound which resembles geraniol in 
such an extraordinary degree. 
Pine-needle Oils. Of these products, the distillate from Pifius 
Piimilio still plays the most important part; this is now So much in 
demand, that we had the greatest difficulty in obtaining the necessary 
supplies. The project, previously mentioned by us, of taking up the 
distillation on the slopes of the Carpathian Mountains in Hungary, has 
not yet been realised. The present moment would be favourable for 
the introduction of a new kind. 
The consumption of the fine Siberian pine - needle oil which is 
absolutely pure and at the same time extremely moderate in price, 
has developed enormously. Last year it was already used by us in 
quantities of thousands of kilos. The Swiss distillers already demand 
higher prices for the extra-fine quality distilled from the cones of Abies 
pectin ata. The exquisitely fine oil from Abies alba takes, as regards 
quality, now as before the first rank, and it sells so rapidly that we 
are never able to accumulate a stock of it. 
Rose Oil, Turkish. The prices of the better-class brands have 
on the whole remained unchanged. The purchase - prices of these 
