Essential oils were recovered from seeds of lovage (Levisticum officinale Koch), Pimpinella anisum L and Sosnowski hogweed (Heracleum sosnowskyi Manden.) by hydrodistn. in Clevenger apparatus or with steam. The compn. of the oils was analyzed by GC-MS to det. the effect of the method for oil recovery on their chem. compn. Use of the Cleveneger appratus was more efficient than the steam hydrodistn.