SANTAL. 323 
but of small size. Its wood is much less odorous than S. album, 
and yields an oil of poorer quality. Birds greedily eat the berries, 
which are smooth, black, juicy, and about the size of a large pea ; 
by this means it is propagated extensively. At present it is con- 
sidered to be a variety of S. album, Linn. (var. 8. myrtifolium, D.C.). 
Bentley and Trimen have included it in their description of 
S. album *. 
Macassar santal wood is brought from Timor and Sumba, the 
“ Santal Wood Islands”’ off the north-west coast of Australia, to the 
market in Macassar, and is thence consigned to Holland. The 
tree yielding it is probably the Santalum album, L. 
The “ Macassar ”’ santal wood is lighter than water, cuts with 
difficulty transversely, but cleaves easily. It is of pale fawn-colour 
to yellowish brown, with darker concentric zones spreading over 
the whole. Its odour is similar to the East-Indian but not so 
powerful, and its microscopical structure is similar except that the 
distance apart of the medullary rays and diameter of the vessels 
are less. 
By distillation, from 2 to 5 per cent. of oil is obtainable, very 
similar to the East Indian oil. 
An examination of various santal woods was made by Kirkby in 
1886, and illustrations of his microscopic analysis published +. 
He distinguishes between the Macassar and Indian woods by the 
following chemical reaction :—‘‘ When a section of the former is 
treated with the microscopist’s ordinary solution of iodine and 
potassium iodide it becomes coloured an intense black . . .; the 
Indian oil of santal abstracts iodine from its aqueous solution, but 
no change of colour takes place, . . .’ He considers that the oil 
“ contains something in solution which has a remarkable attrac- 
tion for iodine when compared with the Indian santal-wood oil, 
which may be accounted for by differences of climate, soil, or 
elevation.” However this may be, there is very little difference 
between the two oils as regards their sp. gr. and optical activity ; 
the figures of which, as determined by Schimmel, are as follows :— 
Sp. gr. at 15° C, 
East Indian......... 0970 to 0:978. Rotation —17° 20/. 
Macassare. 2: sound 0: 9708 t —18° 40'. 
West Australian... spe AOROS Ss . + 5° 20’. 
West Indian ...... 0 09Gb, as + 26° 10'. 
* Medicinal Plants, iv. 
+ Pharm. Journ. [3] xvi. p. 859, i 
x2 
