— i8 — 
Caraway Oil. According to the reports received from a con- 
fidential source, the caraway- harvest in Holland has suffered rather 
much from the bad weather, as only a part has been gathered in the 
dry state. It is said that about 7,500 acres have been under cultivation 
which, at a yield of 12 bales per acre, would give a total result of 
90000 bales. The old stocks were estimated in the middle of July 
at 30000 bales; there will consequently be no lack of caraway. The 
sample truck-loads of new seed which have been received show an 
excellent quality. The price has so far remained without change at 
a low level, so that there are no grounds for an alteration in the prices 
of the oil. 
Up to the present no offers of Swedish caraway have come in. 
As a rule this seed is not ready for shipment until November. The 
price for the East Prussian article is still too high. 
Cassia Oil. Nothing of any consequence whatever can be 
reported on this important subject. The prices have slowly risen 
during the last months, and there is reason to think that they will 
still run somewhat higher in the future. The present value may still 
be characterised as a low one, and taken advantage of for laying in 
an abundant supply. 
Our stock consists exclusively of direct-imported goods containing 
80 to 85 per cent, aldehyde. 
Oil of Cassie 'flowers. We have already on various occasions 
reported on the essential oil of cassie - flowers ^). The examinations 
which hitherto have been made more particularly with the oil ob- 
tained from the flowers of Acacia farnesiana, have also been extended 
to other oils of this species which are important for purposes of per- 
fumery; in the first instance we have occupied ourselves with the 
essential oil of Acacia cavenia Hook, et Arn. This oil, which is pre- 
pared in the South of France by extracting the flowers with petroleum 
ether, is, like all flower- extracts, not a pure essential oil, but a salve- 
like mass consisting chiefly of as yet unknown odourless vegetable 
waxes and other extractive matter, and only for a small part of oil 
which can be driven off" with steam. 
The flower-extract from Acacia cavenia known in the trade as 
"Cassie Romaine", which served for the examination, was supplied by 
Mr. Jean Gras of Cannes. 
In order to obtain the essential oil, we distilled 1,6 kilos of the 
mass with steam, when a brown oil with a strong cassie-like odour 
was obtained, of which the bulk could be dissolved in dilute caustic 
1) Report April 1899, 58; April 1901, 18; April 1903, 17. The physical 
constants of the pure essential oil of Acacia farnesiana obtained from cassie pomade, 
are as follows: d^^^o = 1,0475; aj) + 0°; ^1)20° = i^SiSSi- 
