— 53 — 
the ketone chiefly in a fraction whose boiling point agrees with that 
of j asm one, we consider it probable that it is jasmone. This sup- 
position is supported by the fact that a fraction boiling at 250^ 
to 260° formed with semicarbazide a semicarbazone of the melting 
point 204^ to 205°, the same melting point as the jasmone semi- 
carbazone. Like the latter, the semicarbazone obtained by us was 
also difficultly soluble in alcohoL The material only sufficed for one 
combustion analysis, whose values, however, did not agree well with 
those calculated for the ketone. The quantity of the analysed sub- 
stance amounted only to 0,098 gram. It should be mentioned that 
this ketone is very important for the odour of the extract oil. 
The highest boiling portions of the oil appear to be formed by a 
sesquiterpenic alcohol, which up to the present has not yet been 
examined by us. 
Neroli *'Schimmel & Co." The low prices of the natural pro- 
duct induced us already in July to lower our quotations somewhat. 
For orders of 20 kilos and more we would be prepared to meet our 
clients still further, and we invite correspondence on the subject. The 
quality of our original product is unparalleled. 
Orris Oil. With regard to the unheard-of depreciation in the 
value of Florentine orris-roots, the German Consul at Florence says in 
his official report (D. H.-Archiv 1903, April number): — 
The trade in the aromatic roots of the white flag, called orris-root, has 
now for some years suffered very considerably. 
The production has no doubt increased from year to year as the demand 
has not grown less, but the price has fallen so low that the cultivation pays 
no longer. 
In 1890, the price paid for 100 kilos was 130 lire; in 1891, 176 lire. In 
1892 it advanced to 310 lire. In 1893 and 1894 the price was still as high 
as 200 lire, but it then fell rapidly, in 1897 to 135 and in 1898 even to 65 lire. 
In 1899 the price was 70 to 100 lire, in 1900, 80 to 100 lire. But in 1901 
it had declined to 50 — 65 lire, and for 1902 not more than 40 to 50 lire may 
be expected. 
Contrary to the movement in the value, the production has increased, from 
400 tons in 1892 to 500 tons in 1893, 600 tons in 1894, 700 Ions each in 
1895 and 1896, 800 tons in 1897, 850 tons in 1899, 950 tons in 1900, 
1000 tons in 1901. For 1902, a further increase is anticipated. 
According to the enquiries made by the Tuscan Agricultural Society, the 
present wretched situation is due to the exaggerated prices of the year 1892. 
At that time the stocks of the whole province had, through special circumstances, 
dwindled to 250 tons, and the exaggerated price caused by this tempted the 
producers to apply themselves more to the cultivation of orris-root, in consequence 
of which that what had hitherto been a subordinate industry now often became 
one of the principal means of livelihood. 
This, however, was not the only result of the above-mentioned rise in the 
prices. It also attracted attention outside the Province of Tuscany, and in the 
district of Verona the merchants endeavoured to palm off their inferior product 
as the better Tuscan article. In this they succeeded, and the Veronese root, 
