— 77 — 
oxalic acid acts upon it with formation of the above-mentioned sesqui- 
terpenic hydrocarbon vetivene. The distillation residue contains, in 
addition to vetivenol, an acid or mixture of acids, a white, viscid mass, 
acquiring a brown colour when exposed to the air, which yields a sol- 
uble potassium salt. The body which bears the characteristic odour 
of vetiver oil is an ester of this acid and of vetivenol, which is very 
easily saponified already by water. 
Wintergreen Oil. According to American reports, the stocks 
have been greatly reduced by an uninterrupted strong demand, and 
the prices show an upward tendency. Since the lowest quotation 
in January 1902 at $ 1,45, they have gradually risen to $ 1,75. The 
production during last year has been scanty, as even the higher prices 
paid are not remunerative, in view of the high wages. This state of 
affairs is the direct consequence of the competition of the artificial 
oil, which since the great drop in the prices of salicylic acid can be 
supplied at an absurdly low price, and which, also as regards quality, 
will be acknowledged by every unbiassed judge to be equal to the 
natural oil. 
Methyl ester of salicylic acid, as is well known, is present in the 
roots of many polygalaceae. According to recent observations made in 
the agriculturo- chemical Laboratory of the Botanic Garden of Buiten- 
zorg^), it also occurs in the saprophytes Epirrhizanthes elongata Bl. and 
Epirrhizanthes cylindrica BL, which also belong to the family of poly- 
galaceae. The pulp of Coffea liberica and Coffea stenophylla also con- 
tains this ester, but, strange to say, it is not present in the pulp of 
Coffea arabica. On the other hand, methyl ester of salicylic acid has 
been detected in the pulp of hybrids between Coffea arabica and 
Coffea liberica. 
Wormwood Oil. The American distillate is still quoted at a 
disproportionately high price, and moreover does not now give satis- 
faction in the quality. For this reason we prefer to wait until normal 
conditions return once more. Of French oil, on the other hand, a 
choice selection is available. First in point of quality stands the oil 
distilled from the cultivated herb in the neighbourhood of Paris; our 
quotation refers to this oil. 
Ylang-Ylang Oil, '*Sartorius" 1. The hopes expressed by 
our friends at Manila, that the rise of 50 marks per kilo, which was 
put in force last autumn, might be sufficient, have unfortunately 
not been realised; on the contrary, they were absolutely compelled 
to raise the price by another 50 marks, and they assure us most 
^) Annual Report 1901, 58. 
