232 



H. G. SMITH. 



ON THE RESIN OF THE OUTER BARK OF 

 MELALEUCA UNCINATA. 

 By Henry G. Smith, f.c.s. 



[Read before the Royal Society of N.S. Wales, August 1, 1917.'] 



Some time back attention was directed to certain peculi- 

 arities shown by the outer bark of this Melaleuca, and 

 material forwarded to the Technological Museum, Sydney, 

 by Mr. E. Burgess of Oygnet River, Kangaroo Island, South 

 Australia. Mr. Burgess stated that this thin inflammable 

 bark could be obtained in large quantities, if suitable 

 apparatus for collecting it were employed. He also pointed 

 out that it appeared to be almost imperishable, as no alter- 

 ation seemed to have taken place after exposure to the sun 

 and the weather for at least twenty years. This species 

 of Melaleuca is known as " Broombush" in Kangaroo Island, 

 where it grows extensively on the wet clay flats, as well 

 as on the high lands. The shrub in the moister positions 

 becomes very dense, and practically free from other species, 

 but on the higher land it is more sparsely distributed and 

 intermingled with other plants and trees. The species is, 

 however, not restricted to Kangaroo Island, but has a most 

 extensive range, and occurs plentifully in the neighbourhood 

 of Wyalong, New South Wales. 



In 1907 a paper 1 was read before this Society, by Mr. 

 R. T. Baker and myself, on the Essential Oil of Melaleuca 

 uncinata, in which it was shown that an excellent 

 "Cajuput" oil could be distilled from this species. The 

 present investigation is thus a further addition to the 

 economics of this Australian plant. 



1 The Australian Melaleucas and their Essential Oil;?, Part II. 



