AUSTRALIAN MELALEUCAS AND THEIR ESSENTIAL OILS. 201 



oil of M. nodosa. The specific gravity was somewhat high, 

 and the crude oil would answer to the general tests for oil 

 of cajuput, as given in the British Pharmacopoeia. The 

 oil contained most markedly a crystalline substance, par- 

 ticularly in the portion coming over late in the distillation. 

 The oil of this species is rich in cineol, and the presence 

 of a small amount of dextro-rotatory pinene was deter- 

 mined by the rectification of the lower boiling portions. 

 Phellandrene does not occur. The oil contains a consider- 

 able amount of constituents boiling at high temperature, 

 as indicated by the high specific gravity of the oil. Besides 

 the crystalline substance, a sesquiterpene was present, and 

 the reactions with this constituent were similar to those 

 obtained with the corresponding substance in Eucalyptus 

 oils. The amount of esters in the crude oil is small, the 

 saponification number being only 3*05. The crude oil was 

 soluble in \\ volumes of 70°/° alcohol (by weight) and 

 afterwards soluble in all proportions. The optical activity 

 was to the right; this was due to the presence of the 

 pinene and to the crystalline substance, both of which 

 were dextro-rotatory. 



To determine approximately the rate of distillation of the 

 principal constituents in the leaf, the oil from one of the 

 distillations was collected at the end of each hour, and the 

 oil belonging to that hour determined separately. The dis- 

 tillation was continued for four hours. The oil which 

 came over during the first hour contained the largest pro- 

 portion of the cineol, the second hour oil contained some- 

 what less of that constituent, the third hour oil only 

 contained about 15 -20°/° of cineol, while that distilling 

 during the fourth hour hardly contained any. The amount 

 of material used was 216 lbs. During the first hour 16 

 ounces of oil were obtained, or 0'463 o /°; the second hour also 

 gave 16 ounces ; during the third hour 6 ounces distilled, 



