— 74 — 
at any price, and as long as it is not possible to differentiate chemically 
between the various types of peppermint oil, the article will always be 
obtainable at all prices. 
Experiments made by E. Charabot and A. Hebert^) with the 
peppermint plant, have proved that the green parts of the plant ex- 
perience an enrichment of essential oil in consequence of a systematic 
and complete removal of the inflorescences. It also follows from the 
above that the formation of the terpene compounds takes place in 
the chlorophyl-bearing organs from which they then advance towards 
the inflorescences. How important a part is played by the green parts 
of the plant in the formation of the odoriferous constituents of the oil, 
is proved by the fact that the plants grown in the shade show a 
smaller content of essential oil, than those which are exposed to direct 
sunlight. 
Petitgrain Oil, Paraguay. The situation in the distilling districts 
is said to be so precarious that new contracts are only accepted with 
all possible reserve. Since the trust of manufacturers has been dissolved, 
the individual distillers appear to use their utmost endeavours to spoil 
the trade for each other. At the present low value, this industry cannot 
be particulary remunerative. 
In a similar manner as with oil of orange blossoms (see there), 
Jeancard and Satie have studied the influence of the weather on 
the formation and composition of petitgrain oil 2). The determination 
of the meteorological conditions in the neighbourhood of Cannes com- 
prises the periods from January i^^ to July 10^^ of the years 1901 to 
1903. By determining the constants of the petitgrain oils obtained 
during that time, it was here also possible to detect an influence of 
the weather- conditions on the composition of the oil. 
Umney and Bennett^) report on the examination of a South 
American orange oil, which had most probably been distilled from the 
leaves and blossoms of the bitter orange, and had been imported from 
Buenos Ayres. The properties of this oil as mentioned are: d-,^50=o,887; 
aj) = -[-2°; ester, calculated for linalyl acetate = 36,5^/0; free alcohol, 
calculated for geraniol = 38,4^/0; total alcohol = 67,1^0; soluble in 
2 volumes 70 ^/^ alcohol. According to these, the oil greatly resembled 
petitgrain oil, but it had a better odour and a higher percentage-content 
of alcoholic constituents, whilst, on the other hand, the ester -content 
^) Compt. rend. 138 (1904), 380. 
2) Bull. soc. chim. III. 29 (1903), 1089. 
^) Pharm. Journal 72 (1904), 217. 
