174 AGRICULTURAL REPORT. 
twice its weight of alcohol, heated to 140°, and the mixture pressed again. 
The alcohol is afterward removed by distillation. The oil is a very 
active purgative, very acrid, and dangerous, unless carefully adminis- 
tered. Even those employed i in preparing and pressing the seeds are 
affected with irritation of the eyes, and violent purging. 
Oil of Thyme, or Origanum.—The wild marjoram, Origanum vulgare, 
(Labiate,) a low-growing herb, originally from the Mediterranean, but 
introduced and occasionally found wild, yields an acrid stimulant oil, 
known as oil of thyme. It is used as a caustic. The native horsemint, 
Monarda punctata, yields an aromatic oil, which is also known as origa- 
num. It is used successfully as a counter-irritant in cases of deafness. 
Citronella oil is obtained from the lemon grass, Andropogon schenan- 
thus, (Andropogonee,) a native of Malabar, much cultivated in the Hast 
and West Indies and in parts of Seuth America, both for the refresh- 
ing fragrance of its leaves and the essential oil which they contain. 
This oil is largely exported from Ceylon, and is used in medicine and 
perfumery. 
Cajeput oil.—This volatile oil is obtained = om Melaleuca minor, (Myr- 
tacee,) an evergreen shrub, native of the Moluccas and other Indian 
islands. The oil is extracted by distillation of the leaves after fermenta- 
tion. It is of a greenish color, and has a powerful aromatic odor, and 
at one time was thought to be of special value in cases of cholera. It 
is an antispasmodic and stimulant. The leaves are used in China as a 
tonic in the form of decoction. 
Carap or Crab oil.—This is produced from the seeds of Carapa Guian- 
ensis, (Meliacee,) a tree growing 60 to 80 feet in height, native of the 
West Indies and Guiana. The fruit is large and contains numerous 
oily seeds. The oil is extracted by pressure, and is used for burning in 
lamps. It is also much esteemed in Demerara and Trinidad as an un- 
guent for the hair; also for applying to the wounds of animals, and for 
destroying ticks and other insects which infest cattle. In cool, temper- 
ate climates it hardens into a solid fat. 
Hundoo or Tallicoonah oil is obtained from Carapa Guineensis, a tree 
very similar to the last, a native of Senegal. This oil is also used for 
burning, and is held in high estimation as an anthelmintic. It is en- 
tirely soluble in ether, and alcohol separates it into two parts, a concrete 
substance and an oil fluid. The former contains the bitter principle 
and the nauseous odor of the oil. Its bitterness is traced to an alkaloid 
principle which has also been found in the bark. 
Poonga oil is expressed from the seeds of the Pongamia glabra, (Legu- 
minose,) a tree widely distributed throughout the East Indies, Southern 
China, and North Australia, and which “might be grown in the South- 
ern States as a shade tree. The oil is used for burning, is of a pale 
brownish color, and is fluid at a temperature above 55°. It is used as 
an external application in cutaneous diseases, especially in veterinary 
practice. 
Kohombe oil.—This is yielded by the seeds of Melia azedarach, (Meli- 
acee,) a tree well known in the Southern States as the Pride of India, 
or China tree. It is a native of the East Indies, but has been carried 
to different regions of the globe. The Arabic name, azedarach, implies 
a poisonous plant. ‘The oil obtained is semi-fluid and of a pale yellow 
color, and has been supposed to be useful in cases of consumption. The 
root is bitter, and is a well known anthelmintic. 
Taipoo oil is obtained from the fruit of Melia azadirachta, closely allied 
to the preceding. It is much used by native Indian practitioners of 
medicine, and under the name of bitter oil is sold for burning. 
