xv. 4 Oshima: Formosan Termites 365 



Foochow cedar, an investigation of its chemical properties was 

 made. 



Some fine, fresh material was forwarded by the authorities of 

 the Bureau of Forestry, from the mountain in Giran. It was 

 treated in the same way as Foochow cedar, being cut into thin 

 pieces and extracted by means of steam distillation. It is rather 

 striking that exactly similar oil and crystals were obtained from 

 Randai cedar and from Foochow cedar. However, the per- 

 centage of the oil in Randai cedar, 1.62 per cent, differs slightly 

 from that in Foochow cedar, 4.6 per cent." 



STUDIES ON CAMPHOR GREEN OIL 



[The following is a result of the joint work of M. Oshima, naturalist, and Kinzo Kafiiku. 

 former expert chemist, of the Government Institute of Science, Formosa. J 



As shown in the preceding pages, a sesquiterpene alcohol 

 (C 30 H 2( ,O) seems to be one of the chemicals that are effective 

 in preventing the attack of termites. It is highly expensive to 

 import cypress pine or other immune timbers for the sake of 

 building ordinary houses. Moreover, it is almost impossible to 

 get a sufficient quantity of guajol or cedrol for use in 

 conferring immunity upon nonresistant timbers. Under these 

 circumstances the work was extended to discover some home 

 product from which sesquiterpene alcohol could be obtained. As 

 a first step camphor oil was investigated, because the heavy oil 

 of this is greenish and viscous like the oil extracted from cypress 



u Foochow cedar; Cunning hamia sinensis R. Br. Trunk 10 to 15 meters 

 tall, branches whorled. Leaves very densely and alternately arranged, 

 distichous, coriaceous, 3 to 7 centimeters long, 5 to 7 millimeters broad, 

 linear-lanceolate acuminate, slightly serrulate at the margin, polished 

 above, dull below. Male flower 10 to 15 millimeters long, 3 to 4 millimeters 

 broad, yellow. Cone 3 to 4 centimeters long and broad; middle scale 

 15 to 18 millimeters long and wide; seeds 6 to 7 millimeters long, 5 to 

 6 millimeters broad, very complanate, surrounded by a small wing. 



Randai cedar; Cunninghamia konishii Hayata. Trunk tall, branches 

 terete, glabrous. Leaves linear falcate, acute, slightly carinate on the 

 back, lanceolate, 15 millimeters long, 2.5 millimeters broad, slightly obtuse 

 at the apex, slightly serrulate at the margin, coriaceous, slightly glaucous. 

 Cone ovately globose, 20 centimeters long, 15 millimeters broad. Scales 

 rounded. Seeds very small, ovately elliptical, surrounded by a small wing. 



The grain of Randai cedar is finer than that of Foochow cedar. When 

 freshly cut it emits a sweet fragrance. The heartwood has a dark reddish 

 color. At present it is hard to find this wood in the market, but the 

 Bureau of Forestry of the Government of Formosa plans to supply it 

 as a building material in Formosa in the near future. 



