250 ODOPtOGRAPHIA. 



]\Iessrs. Schimmel have found the yield from dried leaves of E. 

 globulus to be 3 per cent., the sp. gr. of same being 0*925 at 10° 

 C, 0-922 at 15° C, and 0-918 at 20° C. Eotation always 

 dextrogjre, varying in commercial oils from + 1° to + 20° 

 (according to purity). 



Six commercial samples examined varied from 50 to 70 per 

 cent, in the amount of eucalyptol they contained. " In distilling 

 the leaves of E. globulus, aldehydes of the fatty acids were 

 observed; the presence of valeric-aldehyde was determined with 

 certainty, and apparently butyric-aldehyde and caproic-aldehyde 

 were also present. The greater part of these bodies was 

 dissolved in the aqueous distillate, but the valeric-aldehyde 

 could also be detected in the oil. It was also present in two 

 commercial samples of the oil."* 



The odour of oil of E. globulus is difficult to describe ; it 

 pertains of camphor, cajuput, laurel, lavender and turpentine. 

 In bulk it is overpowering, but diluted, it is a useful ingredient in 

 several acetic ahd ammoniacal perfumes. 



Maidenf distinguishes as " Mallee oils " those produced by 

 dwarf eucalypts common in arid regions (such as the great 

 Murray Desert). The word " Mallee '"' is of aboriginal origin. 

 There is more or less of this " Mallee scrub " or Mallee country in 

 the interior of all parts of the Colony. The bush grows to no 

 great height, but as it sends out branches from the base it 

 frequently forms impenetrable belts. The principal eucalypts 

 forming this scrub are : — E. dumoscc, E. gracilis, E. oleosa, E. 

 incrassata, E. 'pyriformis, E. cneorifolia, E. societis and E. unciiiata. 

 Many of these Mallee eucalypts yield abundance of very good oil, 

 which has the advantage of approximately constant composition, 

 the members of each species being very gregarious (in fact, the 

 Mallee scrub is too abundant and gregarious to suit most 

 squatters). The meaning of " approximate constant constitution " 

 is — although the distillers are not over particular in sorting the 

 leaves according to species, they have not the opportunity of 

 bundling into the still the leaves of such a variety of eucalypts as 

 are found in other localities. It is impossible to draw too much 



* Bericht., April, 1888, and confirmed by Oliviero in 1893, Bulletin de la 

 Soc. Chini. de Paris, ix., p. 429. 



t Pharm. Journ. of Australasia, 13th Mar., 1892. 



