60 



PHILIPPINE RESINS, GUMS, AND OILS 



a light yellow color and the characteristic odor of balau. Treat- 

 ment with sodium shows that it contains no alcoholic substances. 

 Although it reacts with halogen acids, it was not possible to 

 separate out a crystalline substance such as a hydrochloride. As 

 the range in the boiling point of balau is considerably greater 

 than that of a pure chemical compound, it is probably a mixture 

 of sesquiterpenes. 



Bacon * performed a number of experiments to determine the 

 solubility of balau in various solvents. He also distilled the 

 resin and separated the distillate into various fractions. Dr. 

 M. V. del Rosario made determinations on these fractions and 

 obtained the results recorded in Table 6. 



Table 6. — Constants of fractions of balau. 



Dipterocarpus grandiflorus reaches a height of from 40 to 

 45 meters and a diameter of 180 centimeters. The bole is 

 straight and regular and from 25 to 30 meters in length. The 

 bark is from 6 to 8 millimeters thick, and is brittle. It varies 

 in color from a brown gray to a light gray. It is shed in large 

 scroll-shaped plates and has numerous corky pustules. The 

 inner bark has a reddish color. The leaves are alternate, 

 leathery, smooth, pointed at the tip, usually rounded at the base, 

 from 19 to 30 centimeters in length, and from 9.5 to 17 centi- 

 meters in width. The flowers are about 5 centimeters long, 

 rose-colored, fragrant, and borne on racemes having about four 

 flowers. The fruit is about 5 centimeters long, with five wing- 

 like projections from the sides, and at one end two wings which 

 are 14 to 23 centimeters long and 3 to 5 centimeters wide. 



The wood is moderately hard to hard, stiff", and strong. The 

 heartwood is light ashy red to reddish brown or dark brown. 

 It is used for posts; beams, joists, rafters; flooring; bridge and 

 wharf constructions except piles; wagon beds; ship planking, 

 barges and lighters; ties, paving blocks, mine timbers; cheap 

 and medium-grade furniture. 



* Bacon, R. F., Philippine terpenes and essential oils, III. Philippine 

 Journal of Science, Section A, Volume 4 (1909), page 93. 



