ESSENTIAL OIL. Leaves and terminal branchlets for distillation wen 

 obtained from Gosford, N.S.W., in August, 1897. The yield of oil was 0-22 per 

 cent. The crude oil was dark red in colour, caused by the excess of acid 

 attacking the iron of the still, and the action of the phenols on the iron thus 

 removed. The oil was quite limpid, and consisted largely of pinene and 

 cymene, together with the sesquiterpene and esters. Cineol was present only 

 in traces, and phellandrene was absent. The oil had quite an unpleasant odour, 

 probably due to the valeric acid present. 



It will be observed that with the variety pallidivalvis the^oil contains an 

 excess of dextro-rotatory pinene, and consequently the cymene was less in 

 amount, but the high saponification number and high acid value are similar with 

 both oils, while the constitution of the esters is similar also. 



The crude oil of E. taligna had specific gravity at 15 C. = 0-8731 ; 

 rotation a D + 1-1; refractive index at 20 = 1-4789, and was soluble in 10 

 volumes 80 per cent, alcohol. The saponification number for the esters and free 

 acid was 26-2. 



On rectification 2 per cent, distilled below 170 C. (corr.). Between 

 170-180, 75 per cent, distilled; between 180-240, 16 per cent, came over; and 

 between 240-255, 3 per cent, distilled. The latter fractions were quite acid. 

 The third fraction consisted largely of the sesquiterpene. The results with the 

 two first fractions were : 



First fraction, sp. gr. at 15 C. = 0-8635 ; rotation D + 2-3. 

 Second ,, = 0-8679; + ' 6 - 



The cineol did not exceed 5 per cent, in the first fraction. 



In October, 1919, material for distillation was obtained near Sydney. The 

 yield of oil was very small, 0-015 P er cent. The crude oil was limpid, and quite 

 similar in composition to that originally obtained in 1897 from material growing 

 at Gosford. The crude oil had specific gravity at 15 C. : 0-8846; rotation 

 not determined; refractive index at 20 = 1-4795, and was soluble in 10 volumes 

 80 per cent, alcohol. The saponification number for the esters and free acid 

 was 35'5 '> after acetylation the saponification number was 57, equal to 6 per 

 cent, of free alcohol- with the C IO H I8 O molecule. 



On rectification, 61-5 per cent, distilled between 167-182 C. It had 

 sp. gr. at 15 = 0-865; rotation a D + 8.3, refractive index at 20 = 1-4767. 



This fraction was again distilled, when 50 per cent, came over between 

 160-165 C., it had rotation D + 11-0, and refractive index at 20 = 1-4724. 



The portion boiling above 165 had rotation a u + 4-8, and refractive 

 index at 20 = 1-4797. It had a strong cymene odour, and as this hydro- 

 carbon has been determined chemically for this group of oils, there appears little 

 doubt but that it was present with the pinene in the oil of this species also. 



50068 D 



