EUCALYPTUS AUSTRALIAN A AND ITS ESSENTIAL OIL. 517 



have been so satisfactory that the species is, at the above 

 localities, now worked in this way, the first hour oil being 

 sold for pharmaceutical purposes, the remainder being 

 employed for mineral separation and for other industrial 

 uses. The chemical results obtained with this oil, separated 

 as nearly as possible one hour after commencing to distil, 

 are remarkably constant, so much so that it is not difficult 

 to decide whether the distiller has extended the time of 

 separation beyond the hour. 



The remarkably high yield of oil given by this species 

 enables this mode of working to be profitably undertaken, 

 and the amount obtained during the first hour is almost as 

 great as that from many other cineol producing species 

 when these are distilled right out. The second hour oil 

 thus becomes practically a subsidiary product. Little 

 advantage appears to be derived from distilling the leaves 

 for a longer period than two hours, as the amount of oil 

 thus obtained is but small. The first hour oil, when properly 

 prepared, is almost water- white, which fact appears to be 

 due to the presence of the phenol, Tasmanol, — common to 

 this class, — containing a methoxyl group, a constitution 

 which does not permit the formation of a quinone, as is the 

 case with the oils of the other large class of cineol produc- 

 ing Eucalypts. The amount of volatile aldehydes in the 

 crude oil is but small, so that altogether no rectification 

 of the first hour oil is needed before placing it on the market. 

 This species of Eucalyptus, considered as a pharmaceutical 

 oil producing tree, thus becomes of considerable importance 

 from an industrial point of view, particularly as the country 

 where it grows plentifully is usually of little value for 

 agricultural purposes. This area might profitably be set 

 apart for the preservation of this species of Eucalyptus, 

 and for the establishment of a permanent industry in the 

 production of this particular Eucalyptus oil. 



