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EUCALYPTUS TREES. 387 
oil. It dissolves completely in waterless alcohol and 
in ether, and will become dissolved also in spirit of 
high strength, to the extent of three fifths of the 
weight of the latter. Solutions of this kind may be- 
come valuable for various technic purposes, and afford 
some tests for the pureness of the oil. If pressed un- 
der heat it will depose margaritin. Heated in a re- 
tort, about one third of the oil will distill over, and a 
substance resembling india-rubber remains, which 
saponizes with alkalies. Other educts are at the same 
time obtained, which will likely become of industrial 
value. These facts are briefly mentioned here, mere- 
ly to explain that the value of this easily - produced 
oil is far more varied than is generally supposed, and 
this remark applies with equal force to many other 
chemical compounds from vegetable sources, briefly al- 
luded to in this present enumerative treatise. The 
seeds contain also a peculiar alkaloid: Ricinin. The 
_solid chemic compound of Castor-oil is the crystalline 
Isocetin-acid (a glycerid). The oil contains also a 
non-crystalline acid peculiar to it (ricin-acid). For 
the production of a particular kind of silk the Rici- 
nus-plant is also important, inasmuch as the hardy 
Bombyx Cynthia requires for food the leaves of this 
bush. The. value of Castor-oil imported last year 
into Victoria was, according to the Customs-returns, 
not less than £23,755. Evena few of the seeds, if swal- 
lowed, will produce poisonous effects. 
Rosa contifolia, L.— The Cabbage Rose. Indige- 
nous on the Caucasus, and seemingly, also, in other 
parts of the Orient. Much grown in South Europe 
and South Asia for the distillation of rose-water and 
oil, or attar of roses. From 12,000 to 16,000 roses, 
