ESSENTIAL OIL. Leavi and terminal branchlets Eoi distillation w< 

 .'bi. lined from Laggan, near Crookwell New South Wales, in May, r.90] rhi 

 yield "i "il was 0-7 per cent. The crude oil was amber-coloured, and had an 

 almond-like odour, indicating the probable pr< sence oi benzaldehyde. This odour 

 appears to be characteristic oi the oil oi this species, and has not, 50 far, been 

 detected in any other Eucalyptus oil. It was firsl noticed in .1 sample oi oil 

 presented by Mr. J. J. Hook to the Goulbum Museum. 



In April, 1901, .1 commercial sample oi freshlj distilled oil from this 

 species was submitted to us Eoi determination. It was found to be identical 

 in composition with the specimen in the Goulbum Museum. 



The oil of this species was rich in cineol ; it contained pinene, but phellan- 

 drene was absent. On agitating a portion oi the oil with acid sodium 

 sulphite a small amount of a crystalline compound was obtained; this 

 was separated, purified, decomposed, and the aldehyde removed l>\ ether. The 

 product had a marked odour oi benzaldehyde, but an attempt to oxidise it to 

 benzoic acid was not successful, so that its identity yel remains to be proved. 



The crude oil from ihe Laggan material had specifii gravity at 15° C. = 

 0-QI22; rotation a D + 6-7 " ; refractive index at 20 = 1-4654, and was soluble 

 in 1 J- volumes 70 per cent, alcohol. The saponification number tor the esters 

 and tree acid was 4-6. 



On rectification, 2 per cent, distilled below 1O2 C. (corr.). Between 

 162-180 , 83 per cent, distilled; between 180 188 , 6 per cent, came oyer, and 

 between 188-250 , 4 per cent, distilled. These fractions gave the following 

 results : 



First fraction, sp. gr. at 15° C. = 0-9083; rotation a D + 8-2°. 

 second ., „ ,, = 0-9216; ,, not taken. 



Third ,, ., ,, = 0-9281 ; 



The cineol, determined by the phosphoric acid method in the first fraction, 

 was 55 per cent. O.M. , indicating about 48 per cent, in the crude oil. 



The third fraction consisted largely of the sesquiterpene. 



The above sample was stored in' the dark, and in November, 1919, 

 again analysed. Not much alteration had taken place during the time it had 

 been kept, with the exception that the specific gravity had increased a little. 

 Ilh rotation had also altered, and showed a slightly higher dextro-rotation, 

 evidently due to the diminution in rotation oi a laevo-rotatory constituent. The 

 odour of benzaldehyde was very pronounced in the rectified oil, particularly 

 after the cineol had been fixed by phosphoric acid. 87 per cent, distilled below 

 190° C. 'flic crude oil and the rectified portion gave the following results : 



Crude oil, sp gr. at 15 C. :: 0-9192; rotation a + 7-$° ; refractive index 



at 20 = 1-4664. 

 Rectified portion ,, ,, = 0-9113; rotation a D + 9-4° ; refractive index 



at 20 = £-4607. 

 The cineol was determined by the resorcinol method in the rectified 

 portion; the result was (> 3 per cent, when calculated for the crude oil. 

 By th.- rapid phosphoric acid method it was 58 per cent. 



In the year iooN, Mr. \Y. T. 1'arrell, oi the Australian Eucalyptus Oil < 

 submitted a sample oi Eucalyptus oil he was distilling lor commercial pur] 

 p. .111 a tree known in the South Coast district oi \',w South Wales as " Ribbon 

 Gum." This oil indicated ihe presence oi benzaldehyde, and in other respects, 

 particularly the botanical material, agreed with the species we had previQusl} 



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