447 



injurious this may be is seen from the results we have recorded under E. cinerea. 

 The outlet for the steam is now made in a simple manner by inserting a 2 

 or 3 inch iron pipe through the side of the tank just below the top. No 

 difficulty is experienced, and practically all the oil is obtained from the leaves 

 in this way. 



ILLUSTRATIONS. 



The following series of plates will serve to illustrate the various forms of 

 Eucalyptus oil stills in operation in Australia ; from the single tank, where direct 

 firing is employed, to the larger installations worked with boiler and separate 

 digesters. In many of the more modern and larger plants the digesters are 

 sunk in the ground, and are constructed either of wood or of iron. This method 

 allows of easy loading and unloading, and works quite satisfactorily. 



We are indebted to the proprietors of these distilleries for much 

 information concerning their construction. 



PLATE No. 106. Single tank Eucalyptus oil still at Springgrove, near 

 Braidwood, New South Wales. It is of double size, and fired 

 directly. Three men were working this plant, mutually performing 

 the necessary duties such as cutting the leaves, carting, and 

 distilling. The species being worked were the " Narrow-leaf " 

 and " Broad-leaf Peppermints," E. phellandra and E. dives, and 

 from 75 to 80 pounds of oil were obtained at each distillation. 

 The value of this crude oil at the stills in November, 1919, was 

 7^d. per pound, so that good wages can be secured with a. simple 

 plant of this description. The tank shows the stirrup form, of 

 fastening on the lid, and two straight pipes, laid in water, for 

 condensing the steam. (Mr. A. J. BedwelL) 



PLATE No. 107. The more common type of still in which two tanks 

 are coupled together and fired directly. The condensing arrange- 

 ment is usually the long straight 2-inch iron pipe, and the cover 

 is fastened with steel clips. These stills are usually employed in New 

 South Wales for working the " Peppermint " species. (Mr. McGrath.) 

 PLATE No. 108. The arrangement of three directly fired tanks linked 

 together. In this plant either one, two, or three tanks could 

 be worked at the same time. The condenser was fixed in a 

 similar tank at the rear, into which the water was pumped from a 

 creek running near the tree.* (Australian Eucalyptus Oil Co.) 

 PLATE .No. 109. Four square tanks linked together and worked with 

 a boiler. This plant was in operation at Wyalong, New South 

 Wales, distilling E. polybractea. The yield of oil from this 

 species is less than from either the " Narrow " or " Broad-leaf 

 Peppermint," consequently the value of the oil at the stills is 

 greater than that of the ciude phellandrene-bearing "Peppermint" 

 oils. (Wattle Brand Eucalyptus Oil Co.) 



PLATE No. no. A plant in operation on the Cygnet River, Kangaroo 

 Island, South Australia. The species being worked were E. cneori- 

 folia and E. odorata. The distillation was carried out by direct 

 firing, the tank being a large one, holding about 4,000 pounds of 

 partly dried leaves, or 5,000 pounds of green leaves with terminal 

 branchlets. The bottom part was set in bricks, the upper 



* The tree close to where the man and boy are standing is E. Macarthnri, the species from which the oil so rich in 



geranyl-acetate is obtained. 



