6o 



ESSENTIAL OIL. We are indebted to Mr. C. W. D' Alton, of Hall's Cap. 

 Grampians, Vic, through Mr. Audas, F.L.S., for the material for chemical investi- 

 gation. The leaves, with terminal branchlets, collected from trees 12 to 30 feel 

 high, showed the presence of a considerable number of oil glands, but these 

 must have been largely empty, judging from the yield of oil, as this was only 0-36 

 per cent. 



The crude oil was thin and mobile, had a terpene-like odour, suggesting 

 turpentine. Phellandrene was not detected, and cineol only present in small 

 amount. The solid paraffin peculiar to some Eucalyptus oils Proc. Roy. Soc. 

 X.S.W.. July, 1913 was also detected. 



The analysis shows this oil to consist largely of pinene, the laevo-rotatorv 

 form slightly predominating. Although belonging to the group of Eucalypts 

 producing a cineol-pinene oil, yet the species has no commercial value as an 

 oil-producing plant, the yield being much too small, while the oil itself is deficient 

 in oxygen-bearing constituents. 



The crude oil had specific gravity at 15° C. == 0-8973 ; rotation a D -- 2-8°; 

 refractive index at 20 = 1-4756, and was insoluble in 10 volumes 80 per cent, 

 alcohol. The saponification number for the esters and free acid was 2-6. 



On rectification the usual amount of acid water and volatile aldehydes 

 came over below 155 C. (corr.). Between 155-163 , 66 per cent, distilled 

 between 163-215°, 16 per cent, came over (14 per cent, below 180 °) ; between 

 215-285° only 1 per cent, distilled, leaving 16 per cent, in the still boiling above 

 the latter temperature. Besides some paraffin this residue probably consisted 

 largely of polyterpenes. The first two fractions gave the following results :— 

 First fraction, sp. gr. at 15° C. =0-8669; rotation </„ 3"9°; refractive 



index at 20° = 1-4655. 

 Second ,, ,. ,, = 0-8783; rotation <? D 3*2°; refractive 



index at 20° = 1-4657. 



The first fraction had an odour resembling turpentine, and gave the 

 characteristic nitrosochloride for pinene, thus showing this fraction to consist 

 largely of that terpene. The cineol was determined by the resorcinol method in 

 the portion distilling below 190°. When calculated for the crude oil, the result 

 was 10 per cent. 



The results of this investigation were published by us in Jour. Roy. Soc, 

 Victoria, 27 N.S.), pt. n, 1914. 



