— 23 — 



and dried in the shade, in order to obviate the yellowing of the leaves, 

 which lowers their aromatic properties. 



The principal port of shipment for buchu leaves is Cape Town. In 1909 

 the exports reached 1052 bales, valued at £ 9000, while in 1908 the 

 exports amounted to 243500 lbs., value £ 7 300, and in 1907 to 291 500 lbs., 

 value £ 9200. 



E. M. Holmes 1 ) has recently noticed that leaves of a species of 

 Psoralea (N. O. Leguminosce) have been used as an adulterant of 

 buchu leaves. The leaves are probably those of Psoralea obliqua 

 E. Mey 2 ). They are less aromatic than those of Barosma betulina and 

 are specially distinguishable from the latter by the point of the leaf being 

 turned back, the inequality of the two halves of the leaf, the numerous 

 and generally dark-coloured oil-cells and the hairiness of the surface. 

 The edge of the leaf is not serrated but has very fine teeth. 



Cajuput Oil. The export figures for the year 1909, which are now 

 available, confirm our previous statements that the production has recently 

 been seriously decreased. At times, in fact, a real scarcity made itself 

 felt in Europe, but without resulting in any material advance in the 

 prices. As our friends know, we have at our disposal a reliable source of 

 supply in the island of Buru, and we are now expecting the arrival of a fresh 

 consignment, which will enable us to replenish our almost exhausted stock. 



Exports of Cajuput oil from Macassar: — 



year 1909 1488 baskets 



„ 1908 ..... . 2950 



„ 1907 3695 



„ 1906 ...... 3713 



„ 1905 3935 



In the months from January to May 1910, 1144 baskets were shipped, as 

 compared with 731 baskets in the same period of the previous year. A 

 decrease in the shipments for the remaining months of the year is, however, 

 to be expected. 



In Queensland, according to R. C. Cowley 3 ), seven varieties occur of 

 Melaleuca Leucadendron L., the parent-plant of cajuput oil, which is found 

 distributed over a wide area in Australia and Malaysia. One of these 

 varieties, M. L. var. lancifolia, a tree growing to a height of about 20 feet, 

 with leaves about 3" long, and known in the Brisbane district as the "Ti- 

 tree", yields a slight proportion (the author does not give figures), of an 

 essential oil possessing the following constants: d 0,922, a —3°, n 1,4623. 



a ) Pharmaceutical Journal 85 (1910), 69. Also compare Chemist and Druggist 77 (1910), 17. 



2 ) W. Froembling, of Cape Town, mentions P. bracteata L. as the probable parent-plant 

 of the drug. This plant occurs fairly plentifully throughout Cape Colony and can easily be 

 gathered in large quantities. [Chemist and Druggist 77 (1910), 87J. 



! ) Chemist and Druggist 76 (1910), 832. 



