272 



A. K. PENFOLD. 



existing will be given, but meanwhile this publication will 

 serve as a warning to those about to secure leases to first 

 have average selections of material made from off the 

 country about to be taken up, and the oil therefrom 

 examined. 



The oil which just at present is finding its way to the 

 market is the heavier than water type, and contains about 

 60 - 65% safrol. It should find a ready sale as new south 

 wales sassafras oil, and not as Australian, which latter 

 naming would include the oil of Atherosperma mosehatum 

 which contains only a small percentage of safrol. 



The Essential Oil. 

 The oil thus obtained from this tree by steam distillation 

 is usually of a deep yellow to dark brown colour, with the 

 usual pleasant fragrant odour so well known as that of 

 "sassafras." The leaves that so far have been distilled 

 were procured from Monga and Ourrowan, both of the 

 South Coast district of this State, and were put through 

 within a few days of cutting. 



Altogether 1,225 lbs. weight of leaves and terminal 

 branchlets, cut as for commercial distillation were distilled, 

 and gave an average percentage yield of 0*84%, with the 

 exception, of course, of that distilled during the month of 

 May 1921, when the yield was but 0*1%, probably due to 

 time of season. 



The principal constituents of the oil from Monga, so far 

 identified, are as follows, viz : — 



Percent. Per cent. 



1. Safrol 60-65 4. Sesquiterpenes 10 



2. Camphor ... 10-15 5. Eugenol ... 1 



3. d-a, Pinene ... 10 



(Eugenol methyl ether could not be detected.) 



The sample of lighter than water oil from Ourrowan 

 contains : — 



