22 



soluble in all proportions in turpentine, both fat and drying oils f . 

 benzine, naptha, ether, chloroform, and absolute alcohol. Spirits, 

 of wine dissolve it pretty freely ; and water, on being agitated! 

 with an excess, takes up 1 per cent, by weight. 



This oil, placed in a shallow vessel, is ignited with great diffi- 

 culty, by means of a burning match of wood or paper ; in this 

 way it cannot be made to take fire by contact with flame until it 

 has become quite hot. It burns with a bright flame accompa- 

 nied with much smoke. Burned in a kerosene lamp, it gives a 

 flame almost as luminous as that from American kerosene, but 

 somewhat yellower. It is a good solvent for a variety of resinou* 

 substances. 



2." Eucalyptus oleosa, Ferd. Mueller. This, with the species 

 E. dumosa, All. Cunningham, and E. tocialig, Ferd. Mueller, 

 forms the dense masses of vegetation known as Mallee scrub, . 

 which covers the greater part of the vast tracts of level country 

 towards the north-west of Victoria. Its dimensions require it 

 to be ranked as a shrub, inasmuch as it rarely exceeds twelve 

 feet in height ; the individuals of the species are clothed with 

 foliage to the ground. 



Its habitat extends from the Murray to the south of Lake 

 Hindmarsh, and to Spencer and St. Vincent's Gulfs in South 

 Australia ; it also occurs in the vicinity of Lake Torrens, and ia 

 the neighborhood of the Darling and Murrumbidgee. In Vic- 

 toria alone, the River Murray is for about 270 miles of its 

 course covered on its southern bank with Mallee scrub, which 

 recedes in some cases to a short distance inland, whilst in others 

 it comes down to the water's edge. The foliage of this shrub is 

 rich in essential oil ; 100 Ibs. of the green leaves and branchlets 

 gave 20 fluid ounces. 



The oil is a thin mobile liquid, of a pale yellow color; the 

 taste, as compared with others from Eucalypts, is mild, the 

 flavor is camphoraceous, and, in a slight degree, suggestive of oil 

 of turpentine. Its odor is distinctly mint-like, and not so agree- 

 able as that of E. amygdalina: Its specific gravity is 0.911 : it 

 boils freely at 322, the temperature gradually rising to 350 y . 

 where it remains stationary. It is a good solvent for a variety of 

 resinous bodies. 



