— 81 — 



certain difficulties from the cause mentioned above. We gather from the 

 same source that the exports of linaloe oil from Cayenne in 1909 amounted 

 to 12497 kilos, of a value of 312400 f res., compared with 7470 kilos, value 

 186750 frcs., in 1908. At the present moment five distilling plants are at 

 work and two are in course of erection in Cayenne. The yield of oil 

 from the wood is said to be l°/o. 



Melaleuca Oils. An Australian contemporary 1 ) contains a report of 

 a paper read by Baker and Smith before the Royal Society of Australasia 

 on the oils of Melaleuca trichostachya 2 ) and M. bracteata. 



The first-named of these oils is obtained from the leaves and the tops 

 of the branches, the yield being 2,5%. When rectified, the oil is colourless, 

 and contains from 85 to 95°/ cineol. Melaleuca trichostachya is widely 

 distributed throughout the South -Eastern part of Australia. 



The oil from Melaleuca bracteata has very different properties, and its 

 composition differs from that of the other melaleuca oils. The leaves and 

 tops of the branches yield 1 °/ of an oil with a sp. gr. higher than that 

 of water, and containing large proportions of methyleugenol and cinnamic 

 aldehyde, as well as cinnamic acid, the last-named both free and in com- 

 bination. Melaleuca bracteata is a small tree or shrub which grows profusely 

 in the Warialda district of New South Wales. 



Oil of Mespilodaphne pretiosa, see p. 83. 



Oil of Monarda citriodora. C. Lefebvre and N. Wakeman 3 ) have 

 investigated this oil, which was described some years ago by Brandel 4 ). 

 The results of their research were as follow: An oil distilled in the year 

 1904 contained 72°/ phenols, it had di 5 o 0,9603. When treated with satu- 

 rated solution of sodium bisulphite 4°/ of the oil was attacked. Another 

 sample, distilled in the year 1907, had di 5 o 0,9548, contained no portions 

 which reacted with bisulphite, and had 80°/o phenols. 



The non-phenols after being subjected to steam distillation, formed a 

 colourless oil of very agreeable odour. It contained no esters, the sapo- 

 nification value after acetylation was 59 = 16,98°/ alcohol Ci Hi 7 OH, 

 calculated as phenol-free oil. With magenta solution or ammoniacal 

 silver solution a clear aldehyde reaction was obtained. The oil owes its 

 pleasant odour to its aldehyde content, for after treatment with sodium 

 bisulphite solution the odour had disappeared. The authors have not 

 detected any new constituents. 



*) The Chemist and Druggist and Pharmacist of Australia 26 (1911), p. 6 (No. 1). 



2 ) According to the Index Kewensis, Melaleuca trichostachya, Lindl. is synonymous with 

 M. linariifolia, Sm., to the oil of which we referred in our Report of April 1907, 14. 



3 ) Midland Drugg. and Pharm. Review 44 (1910), 526. 



4 ) Pharm. Review 22 (1904), 57, 153. Report October 1904, 57. 



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