PROCEEDINGS OF SECTIOX B. 121 



timber both in Australia and in Tasmania. The two species above 

 meiitioned, which are now so extensively exploited, are distributed 

 naturally over a most exteiisive area on the ranges in New South Walea 

 and Victoria, at an altitude of about 1,500 to 3,000 feet, so that the 

 available material for distillation may be considered practically 

 inexhaustible, providing the industry is placed under systematic 

 control, and the present supply augmented by judicious planting. 

 The useless species should also be cleared out, so as to eventually produce 

 large concentrated areas occupied entirely by the required species,, 

 and growing under the best conditions for collecting the foliage. The 

 area thus occupied might be made to extend as far north as Crookwell, 

 in New South Wales, and as the land occupied by this species is usually 

 of poor quality, and not likely to be much utilized for agricultural 

 purposes, it might well be devoted to the systematic cultivation of 

 these and other useful species for oil distillation. 



The above two classes of eucalyptus oils largely represent the 

 present industrial activity in essential oil distillation in Australia,, 

 but there are other oils obtainable from the eucalypts of an entirely 

 different nature. These are suitable for perfumery and flavouring 

 purposes, and one — the " citron-scented gum " of Queensland 

 (Eucalyptus citriodora) — has been distilled in considerable quantities 

 in that State. The product of this tree is one of the best citronellal 

 oils known, and it seems a pity that it is not now produced in larger 

 quantities, but the collection of the leaves from large trees, and the 

 high price of labour, together with cei-tain restrictions, make the 

 distillation of the oil as at present carried out somewhat costly. The 

 citronella oil of Ceylon, which is there produced in very large quantities,, 

 is, of course, a serious competitor, but the yield of oil from this eucalyp- 

 tus is much greater than that from the grass, so that it becomes a matter 

 for serious consideration whether it would not be possible from 

 cultivated material to profitably distil the oil from this species. At 

 any rate, the production would be considerably cheapened, so that a 

 large share of the world's trade in this class of products might be 

 secured to Australia. 



A perfumery oil of another class can also be obtained from the 

 eucalypts. Quite recently a considerable demand has arisen for 

 perfumes having a rose odour, and inquiries have recently been made 

 in Australia as to the possibility of obtaining essential oils in commercial 

 quantities from Australian vegetation, which oils shall contain the 

 required constituents. Here, again, this demand can be largely 

 satisfied, and both the alcohol geraniol and its ester geranyl-acetate are 

 obtainable in large quantities from Eucalyptus Macarthuri. These 

 somewhat rare constituents are not uncommon in certain kinds of 

 eucalyptus oils, but reach a maximum in that of this species. Eucalyp- 

 tus Macarthuri grows naturally in certain districts in New South Wales, 



