^ 



1 



280 MYRTACE^. 



contact for a short time with metallic copper. The presence of the 

 metal in the oil may also be shown at once by a scrap of paper which 

 has been impregnated with fresh tincture of guaiacum wood and dried. 

 If it is then moistened with water containing 1 per cent, of sulphocya- 

 nate of potassium, the paper turns intensely blue by the contact with 

 the oil provided the latter contains copper, 



Guibourt ' has however proved by experiment that the volatile oil 

 obtained by the distillation of the leaves of several species of Melaleuca, 

 Metrosideros and Eucalyptus, has naturally a fine green hue. It is not 

 improbable that this hue is transient, and that the contamination with 

 copper is intentional in order to obtain a permanent green. 



Commerce — The oil is imported from Singapore and Batam 

 packed in glass beer or wine bottles. From official statements'^ it 

 appears that the imports into Singapore during 1871 were as imder:- 



FromJava 445 gallons 



„ Manilla 200 



Celebes 3,895 



other places 350 „ 







Total 4,890 



7i 



Of this largo quantity, the greater portion was re-shipped to Bombay, 

 Calcutta, and Cochin China. 



Uses— Cajuput oil is occasionally administered internally a^ a 

 stimulant, antispasmodic and diaphoretic : externally as a rubefacient 

 it is in frequent use. 



Eucalyptus oleosa E. Muell. has, we fini 



Ifolia Sin. and M. linariifol 



entirely with cajuput oil, except in optical properties. The same is 

 probably the case with the oil of Eucalyptus globulus Labill, wlucn 

 Cloez (1870) states to be dextrogyre. These oils are shipped to some 

 extent from Australia to Europe, probably as adulterants of otlier 

 essential oils. 



CARYOPHYLLI. 



Cloves ; F. Girofles, Clous de Girofles ; G. Geimrznelhen. 



Botanical Origin— ^u^ema caryophyllata Thimher g(Garyop}ifi^^ 

 aromaticus L.), a beautiful evergreen tree, 30 to 40 feet high, resemWiD. 

 a gigantic myrtle, bearing numerous flowers grouped in small termin 

 tricotomous cymes. The flower has an inferior ovary about 2 an ^ 

 long, cylindrical, of a crimson colour, dividing at the top into 4 sepa^^' 

 and 4 round concave petals larger than the calyx, imbricated m t^e 

 like a globe, but at length spreading and soon dropping off. a^^ 



. 1 he clove-tree is said to be strictly indigenous only in the t^e si ' 

 islands constituting the proper Moluccas, namely Tarnati/ridor, Moit^' 

 Makiyan and Bachian.^^ These form a chain on the west side ot tn 



« S^'i^f 'T;/"-^^^*"'^) -78. or Clove Islands, the ^^^'%%^lV^^ 



SetafmrniZt fJ\^'^'"i^ 'f ''^' -^^^'^^ tended to all islands east of Celebe 



"Thmul ?^ ^^' ^l^S^PO'-e. 1872. west of New Guinea. 

 A Hough these are the original Moluccas 



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