COMPOSITION OF FRUIT TREES 69 



Lemon juice contains from 6 to 10 per. cent, of 

 citric acid. The juice of the fruit of Citrus Medica 

 var. ^-Limonum is used in the preparation of the 

 B.P. syrupus limonis, and the rind of the same 

 variety is used in the preparation of infusum 

 aurantii compositium, infusum gentianse com- 

 positum, and tinctura limonis. 



The rind contains an essential (volatile) oil 

 (essence of lemon), which is obtained by rasping off 

 the outer rind or flavedo, and subsequently pressing 

 it ; or the rind is squeezed, and the oil collected on 

 sponges, which are pressed when saturated ; or the 

 rind is pricked and the oil allowed to drain oflF. 

 There are other methods for obtaining inferior kinds 

 of lemon oils. 



Lemon oil contains dextro- and Isevo-limonene, 

 citral and traces of citronellal, phellandrene, geranyl 

 acetate, linalool acetate, and R. S. LadelP found a 

 body, CioHigO, of a specific gravity of 0*962 in lemon 

 oil. Umney and Swinton have confirmed this work. 



Medlar {Mespilus germanica, Natural Order, 

 Rosacese) is a hardy fruit-tree, bearing deciduous 

 leaves and white flowers. It grows in a rich 



1 Chemical News, vol. 69, p. 20 ; also Idris' book on Essential 

 Oils, p. 133. This research was worked out in the author's 

 laboratories. 



