The genera] char: ii the oil i i Ihis species are those recorded bj us 



in ill first edition ci this workin 1902, under E. amygdalina. The results obtained 

 al thai time are reproduced below, and although since thai book was published 

 much work has naturallj been undertaken with the oil oi bhis species, yet we 

 see no reason whj the original statements should be modified, excepl perhaps 

 that the cineol contenl mighl have been a httle higher in all cases. The detei 

 minations were all made a1 thai time bj the phosphoric acid method, when ii was 

 t onsidered necessai 5 to press the cake repeatedly until absorption oi oil c< 

 Cineol determinations as thus madi an now known to give too low results. 



From the record of investigations with the oil of this Eucalypt, now 

 extending over twentj years, it is evidenl thai the general results are practically 

 always in agreement, a fact which again illustrates the comparative constan 

 the oil products oi idenl ical species. 



The " Peppermint" group appears to be the mosl recenl oi the wh 

 Genus, and Eor that reason might, perhaps, be considered as less stabilised than 

 species belonging to the more ancienl groups, yet even with the members oi 

 the " Peppermint " group, a similar constancy is observable. 



Analysis of the Oil. Leaves and terminal branchlets for distillation w 

 obtained from Moss Vale, X.S.W., in March, 1899. The yield oi oil was 4-2 pei 

 cent. The crude oil was but little coloured, and had a peppermint odour, but 

 this was not so marked as was the case with the oil of E. dives. The 5econdar3 

 odour was aromatic, this being due to alcoholic bodies. A small quantity oi 

 eudesmol was d< tected, as it crystallised after the more volatile constituents had 

 evaporated. Phellandrene was a constant constituent, and the amount presenl 

 appears to be fairly uniform, but is much less abundant than in the oils of E. dives 

 and /■'. radiata. Cineol was present to the extent of about 20 to 30 per cent, in the 

 crude oil. but by a method of separ; 1 ion during the primary distillation an oil con- 

 taining 40 to 50 per cmi. of cineol can be obtained from this species. Pinene was 

 present, but only in small amount; the physical and chemical properties for thai 

 terpene were, however, secured with the fraction obtained on completely rectifying 

 the first distillate. Free alcohols were present in some quantity, as determined 

 l'\ acetylating the crude oil. The esters were very small in amount, and volatile 

 aideh\ des no1 a I all pronounced. 



the crude oil had specific gravity at 15 C. = 0-9026; rotation a D -- 10-3°; 

 refractive index at 2b = 1-4703. and was soluble in ij volumes 70 per cent, 

 alcohol. The saponification number lor the esters and free acid was 3-7. 



On rectification, 1 per cent, distilled below 173 C. (corr.). Between 

 17; 188 , 85 per cent, distilled, and between 188-215 , 10 per cent, distilled. 

 These fractions gave the following results : — 



First fraction, sp. gr. at 15° C. = 0-8987; rotation a D - 10-3°. 

 Second ,, „ ,, = 0-9111 ; „ a B - - 9-0 . 



The cineol, determined by the phosphoric acid method in the crude oil, 

 was 21 per cent., and in the first fraction, 27 per cent. (O.M.). 



The very high solubility for an oil containing that amount of cineol indicab d 

 that alcohols might be present ; a portion of the crude oil was, therefore, ac< i\ 

 lated in the usual way; die saponification number for ihis acetylated oil had 

 then im reased to 22-4. 



Material of this species for distillation was also obtained from Monga, 

 N.S.W., in July, 1S98. The yield oi oil al thai time of the year was .', per cenl 

 I, ui a 'hi wa the winter i1 was less abundanl in die leaf, although richer in 

 cineol. Similar constituents were present a- in the Mos> Vale oil, .nA mi 

 rectification the fractions were in agreement with those of the previous sample. 



8— T 



