xv, 4 Oshima: Formosan Termites 363 



cedar is somewhat resistant, for the damage was less when 

 heartwood was used than when sapwood was used. When freshly 

 cut the heartwood is reddish in color and emits a pleasing 

 fragrance like camphor, while the sapwood is whitish and odor- 

 less. It is possible, therefore, that the resistance of the heart- 

 wood is due to the presence of some antiseptic chemical. Led 

 by the supposition, an investigation to determine the chemical 

 properties of Foochow cedar was made. 



Fresh Foochow cedar, from Foochow (235 pounds, or 106.5-(- 

 kilograms), was cut into thin slices and extracted by means of 

 steam distillation. Superheated steam (pressure, 40 pounds, or 

 184- kilograms) was passed through the extractor (capacity, 50 

 pounds, or 22 -j- kilograms) for five hours, and the vapor was 

 condensed in a copper condenser. The oil layer floating on the 

 water was separated by a separatory funnel. From this 650 

 grams (4.6 per cent) of viscous, grayish brown oil were obtained. 

 On cooling the oil a large amount of fine, needle-shaped crystals 

 formed. After keeping the oil at 5° C. for twenty-four hours, 

 it was filtered in order to separate the crystals. Crystals thus 

 obtained were placed on an absorptive porcelain plate and en- 

 tirely freed from oil. One hundred one grams of pure white 

 crystals (nearly 40 per cent of the oil) were obtained. These 

 crystals are soluble in ether, chloroform, petroleum ether, and 

 amyl alcohol and are easily recrystallized from methyl alcohol 

 solution. By means of sublimation under ordinary pressure the 

 substance changes into colorless, delicate crystals, having the 

 appearance of asbestos. The oil separated from the crystals has 

 the properties recorded in Table XXII. 



Table XXII. — Properties of oil from Foochoiv cedar. 



Optical rotatory power ( [ a ] D in 10 per cent benzene 



solution) (degrees) +7.74 



Refractive index (at 28° C.) 1.4970 



Specific gravity (at 18.5° C.) 0.9465 



Acid value 0.0 



Ester value 9.37 



Ester value after acetylation 57.20 



According to the results of an investigation made by K. 

 Kafuku, the present oil contains only 2 per cent of alcohol 

 (C :0 H 18 O). The presence of nopinene, camphene, and borneol 

 is also proved by that author. 10 Under ordinary pressure it 

 distills at 160° C. Below 310° C. the fractions are colorless, 



"Report of the termite 6 (1917) 57-91. 



