REVIEWS. 
519 
Essential Oils. 
(Semi-annual Report of Schimmel & Co., Leipzig, April, 1902.) 
The useful half-yearly report of this well-known firm contains as 
usual much that is of interest to Ceylon. In the introduction mention 
is made of the growing feeling against the adulteration of essential 
oils—a practice only too common here, and one which is largely 
responsible for the depression of our citronella oil industry and the 
successful competition of Java. Of the Java oil Messrs. Schimmel 
& Co. remark: “we have obtained extraordinary results^,.this 
product shows clearly what can be obtained by rational, expert 
cultivation and distillation of the crude material, for the species of 
plant used in Java is the same as in Ceylon. And yet what a vast 
difference between these two oils Î 
“.it is sincerely hoped that the excellent product may constantly 
increase in favour.so that the manufacture may be continued on 
a large scale.” Further interesting details of the chemistry of this 
oil are given in the report. There is also a valuable account of the 
chemistry of Ceylon cinnamon oil. 
Among other items of interest attention may be drawn to the article 
on champaca oil, in which it is stated that the oil distilled from the 
fresh flowers of the sapu, Michelia Champaca, has not been obtainable 
for years, in spite of a strong demand. 
J. C. W. 
Violent excretion of Water from the Leaves 
of certain Aroids. 
(Hans Molisch : Hervorspringen von Wassertropfen aus der 
Blattspitze von Colocasia nymphæfolia (Caladium 
nymphæfolia Hort) Ber. d. Bot Ges. 
XXL, 1903, p. 381.) 
In the case of Colocasia antiquorum a rapid excretion of drops of 
water from the young leaves, with such force as almost to resemble a 
tiny fountain, was observed by Muntingh as early as 1672. Molisch has 
closely examined the phenomenon in the case of C. nymphæfolia. 
The excretion is most marked in young leaves, blades of which are 
not yet expanded, and takes place most actively at night, when as many 
as 163 drops per minute were observed by Molisch to spring from a 
single leaf tip. The drops of water escape from a special water-pore 
situated near the apex of the leaf. 
R. H. L. 
