500 OLEAGINOUS PLANTS. 



in any quantity, and a similar oil produced, by distillation, from 

 the Eucalyptus piperita, a powerful solvent of caoutchouc, evi- 

 dently very similar, if not altogether identical, with the oil of 

 cajeput. The characters of these two oils are much alike and 

 without some care it is difficult to distinguish them from one 

 another by the odor ; the liptospermurn oil has a slight tinge of 

 yellow, its specific gravity is O9035 ; the eucalyptus oil is colorless, 

 and has a density of (V9145. It is probable that these oils might 

 be used with great advantage in the manufacture of varnish, they 

 readily dissolve copal, and when its solution is spread over any 

 surface the oil soon evaporates, and leaves a hard, brilliant and 

 uniform coating of the resin. These oils, according to Prof. Solly, 

 are specially worthy of attention. 



Dr. Bennett, in his " Wanderings in New South Wales," states 

 that a large quantity of camphorated oil, which closely resembles 

 the cajeputi, is produced from the foliage of several species of 

 Eucalyptus. Some of the leaves, which are of a bluish green, con- 

 tain it in such abundance as to cover the hand with oil when one 

 of the leaves is gently rubbed against it. 



From the odorous leaves of the Arbor alba is extracted a por- 

 tion of the aromatic cajeput oil. This celebrated medicinal oil is 

 principally made in the island of Borneo, one of the Moluccas. 



The leaf of the Melaleuca minor yields, by distillation, the vola- 

 tile oil of cajeputi, well known as a powerful sudorific, and a useful 

 external application in chronic rheumatism. It is an evergreen 

 shrub, with white flowers like a myrtle, native of the East Indies, 

 principally flourishing on the sea coasts of the Moluccas and other 

 Indian islands. Two sacks full of the leaves yield scarcely three 

 drachms of the oil, which is limpid, pellucid, and of a green color. 



Oil of cinnamon and oil of cassia, according to Mulder, have 

 the same composition. When fresh they are pale yellow, but 

 become brown on exposure to the air. On exposure they rapidly 

 absorb cinnamic acid, two resins and water. 



More than 22,000 Ibs. of essence of bergamot was imported in 

 1818. It is obtained by distillation or pressure from the rind of 

 the fragrant citron. 



Andropoyon calamus aromaticus, of Royle, A. nardoides, of Nees 

 v. Esenb., according to some yields the grass oil of Namur. 



The fruits of Carum carui, a hardy biennial British plant, 

 popularly known as caraway seeds, supply a volatile oil, which is 

 carrninitive and aromatic. Oils of a similar kind are obtained fro:n 

 Coriandrum sativum, from anise (Pimpinella Anisum), and cumin 

 (Ctiminum Ct/minum), a native of Egypt. 



The production of cinnamon, clove, and cassia oils, have already 

 been noticed in speaking of those spices. 



In .Malabar, a greenish sweet-smelling oil is obtained, by dis- 

 till ition, from the roots of UnoHtt \ur>un, an evergreen climber, 

 wliiirh is used medicinally as a stimulant. 



OIL OF PEPi'E-RMiNT. Mr. De Witt C. Van Slyck, of Allouay, 

 Wayne oonafy, Xew York, furnished me with the following par- 



