336 THE AILANTHUS SILKWORM AND THE AILANTHUS TREE. 



asplialte-like mass, containing paraffin, is precipitated. Distillation at 

 320 deg. C. produces a reddish-brown paraffin oil, and upon heating the 

 residue above this temperature paraffin distils over almost pure. 



It is very difficult to separate hydro-carbons of a constant boiling point 

 so as to isolate them. At temperatures between 190 cleg, and 230 deg. 

 nearly one-third separates as a slightly reddish yellow oil, having a density 

 of - 845 at a temperature of 16 deg., retaining, however, an oil boiling at 

 250 deg. — 260 deg. On raising the temperature to 350 deg., C, one-fourth 

 more oil distils over, forming a liquid of 09 18, containing much paraffin. 

 The lightest oil distils at 80 to 90 deg., beginning to volatilise at 60 deg. ; 

 its density is 0.786 ; it is very clear, and has the characteristic odour of 

 fetid lime-stone, or the lime-stone of the Belgian coal formation. The 

 quantity of this oil amounts to 4 per cent. ; it dissolves iodine, phosphorus, 

 caoutchouc, &c. Concentrated nitric acid changes it into a heavy, yellow, 

 aromatic oil, smelling of cloves. 



The other specimen from Tjiakijana consists of 40 per cent, of paraffin, 

 and 60 per cent, of a clear oil of 0780 specific gravity at the tempera- 

 ture of 60 deg. C. ; its boiling-point varies between 90 deg. and 170 deg. 

 C. Spontaneous evaporation produces a mass of the consistency of yellow 

 butter ; distillation gives a residue of paraffin. The distilled oil also 

 dissolves iodine, phosphorus, &c, and is changed by concentrated nitric 

 acid into a heavy yellow oil smelling of cloves. 



For want of a sufficient quantity of this remarkable oil, it has not been 

 possible to study it in detail. I must, however, repeat that it is the first 

 example of a natural solution of paraffin in oily hydro-carbons. 



THE AILANTHUS SILKWORM AND THE AILANTHUS TREE. 



BY M. F.-E. GUERIN-MENEVILLE, 



Secretary to the Council of the Imperial Society of Acclinuitization. 



(Abridged and Translated from the French by Lady Dorothy Nevill.) 



The culture of the Ailanthus and the rearing of its Silkworms are 

 subjects so utterly new, that principles yet remain to be discovered for their 

 management analagous to those which guide the numerous cultivators of 

 the Mulberry Silkworm. In the treatment of the tree, so justly called by 

 Olivier de Serres the " blessed tree of God," I wish to give the little know- 

 ledge I have been able to gather on this subject, and to call the attention of 

 the public to this new cultivation, which I believe, at no distant period, 

 is destined to give a new source of pleasure and profit to many, and which 

 in France, has been carried on with the greatest success. One circumstance 

 which renders the cultivation of the Ailanthus and its Silkworm so easy, 



