114 



BACON. 



grass is also used for making paper. Tlie crop is rather an exhausting 

 one for the soil, so that after three years it is usually considered necessary 

 to transplant the grass into a fresh iield. 



CINNAMOMUM MEECADOI VID. 



This large tree, the Tagalog name of which is oalingag, is very widely 

 distributed throughout the Philippine Islands. The laboratory has 

 botanical collections showing this species of Clnnamomum to occur in 

 Davao, Eizal, Pampanga, Bataan, Antipolo, the Camarines, and Tayabas, 

 and it is probably found throughout all parts of the Islands. Tropical 

 forests do not often have many trees of the same species growing together, 

 as is the case with the almost pure stands of the temperate zones, but 

 as many as 150 trees of Cinnamomum mercadoi Vid. have frequently 

 been noted on one hectare, and quantities of the bark sufficient for com- 

 mercial utilization could be obtained if it were of sufficient value. Hence, 

 I obtained 35 kilos of bark from the Lamao region, Bataan Province. 

 This bark was ground and distilled with steam, giving 260 grams (1.04 

 per cent) of a light yellow oil. The oil had an odor like sassafras and 



= 1.0461; N^ 



=1.5270; 



the following properties: Specific gravity,^ 



A ^=+4°. 

 D 



There are no aldehydes in this oil, neither sodium bisulphite nor phenylhydra- 

 zine react. I consider that cinnamic adehyde could be detected in this way 

 by distilling a very small percentage in petroleum ether: experiment demon- 

 strated that cinnamic aldehyde instantly gave a crystalline precipitate of the 

 phenylhydrazone with phenylhydrazine. 



The oil was distilled at 10 millimeters and gave the following fractions : 



No. 



Boiling 

 point. 



Quantity. 



.% 



1 

 2 

 3 



Degrees. 

 119-124 

 124-130 



Residue. 



Grams. 



77° 

 9.2 



n.5 



1.5333 

 1. 5320 

 1..5278 



Fraction No. 1 redistilled at ordinary pressure had a boiling point 235° to 238" 



at 760 millimeters; specific gravitj', 3?° =1.0631; n59I =1.5335; A ^=+0.9. 



4° P . D 



By oxidation with chromic acid this fraction gives piperonylic acid melting at 

 227°. Piperonal was obtained by heating with alcoholic potash and then oxidizing- 

 with potassium permanganate. 



These results leave no doubt but that the oil from Cinnamomum mer- 

 cadoi Vid. is almost entirely safrol, and it is remarkable in this respect 

 as most oils from Cinnamomimi species contain only small amounts of 



