— 8i — 
Oil of Wild 'Rosemary (Ledum palustre), Lomidse^) distilled 
from the young shoots of the flowering marsh wild rosemary, in a 
yield of about i a viscid oil from which in course of time crys- 
tals were deposited. Complete separation of the crystals from the 
oil was not possible with 90 ^/q alcohol, better by distillation in vacuo 
at 20 mm and 8o°(?). The liquid portion boiled from 282° to 286^, 
and contained a ketone of the formula C^5H24 0. The crystals remain- 
ing in the retort had the melting point 106°, and boiled in an atmos- 
phere of carbonic acid at 281°. Their composition was that of an 
alcohol CJL5H25OH. This body, which may possibly be identic with 
the already known ledum camphor, oxidised readily, but did not contain 
double linkings, as was proved by its behaviour towards bromine. 
Sandalwood Oil, East Indian. The first consignments of 
wood from the Indian December auctions reached us early in March, 
and show again the reliable assortment which is usual with the Govern- 
ment classification. The prices, according to our average calculation, 
have changed but little, so that there is at present no immediate necessity 
of raising our quotations of sandalwood oil. In so far as our sales 
enable us to draw a final conclusion, the consumption appears to be 
still on the increase. 
With regard to the spike-disease broken out among the sandal- 
wood -trees, no further official information has appeared since the date 
of our last Report. We must therefore conclude that up to the present 
no remedy has been found with which this disease can be effectually 
combated. It is equally impossible to form an opinion as to whether, 
and in how far, the value of the wood will be affected by this incident 
which has so suddenly made its appearance. We hope to be able 
to give some authentic information on the subject in our Autumn 
Report. 
The distillation of sandalwood oil which was formerly carried on 
with quite primitive installations in India, was first taken up by us, 
and that in June of the year 1871. The selling price at that time 
was 48 marks per kilo. On account of the great difficulties met with 
at that time in obtaining the wood, the prices of the oil advanced in 
the year 1872 to 84 marks per kilo, and with that figure reached 
their highest level, as far as we can remember. 
In the years 1875 to 1878 the price was about 64 marks 
50 J' 
J, 48 „ 
25 „ 
1883 1886 
1887 „ 1891 
1892 „ 1896 
1807 „ i8q8 
^) Farmaz. J. 42 (1903), 1037; by Chem. Ztg. Repert. 27 (1903), 284. 
6 
