34 Report of Schimmel $ Co. April 1913. 



Although the constants point to cadinene, no solid derivatives of this sesquiterpene 

 were obtainable. With the object of preparing the dihydrochloride the oil was saturated 

 both in ether and in glacial acetic acid solution with hydrochloric acid gas, and left 

 in contact therewith for a long time. Neither crystalline products nor a solid nitroso- 

 chloride, nitrosate, or bromide was obtained in either case. No characteristic oxidation- 

 products were isolated by oxidation with permanganate, either in acetone solution or 

 in dilute aqueous solutions. The sesquiterpene also differs from the cadinene by its 

 exceptionally slight degree of solubility in glacial acetic acid. 



As a result of the examination detailed above it may be taken that tfye oil under 

 examination contained about 35 p. c. terpenes, consisting of d-a-pinene, camphene, 

 /?-pinene, and dipentene; about 10 p. c. alcoholic constituents, borneol and «-terpineol 

 (m. p. 35°), about 20 p. c. sesquiterpenes, and approximately 35 p. c. resin. 



Buchu Leaf Oil. The scarcity continues and our stock of oil with a normal 

 buchu- camphor content has now been reduced to a few kilos. Unfortunately the 

 difficulties in the way of procuring suitable material for distilling still remain insur- 

 mountable. 



W. Mansfield 1 ) has found several samples of buchu leaves to contain an admixture 

 (up to 17 p. c.) of the leaves of Diosma fragrans, which is known as "Klip-buchu". 



Oil of Barosma venusia. From the dry leaves of Barosma venusta'-) Eckl. et Zeyh. 

 H. R. Jensen :J ) has distilled 1,1 p. c. essential oil possessing the following constants: 

 dg° 0,8839, « m()0 -f 0°30', n D ., 0O 1,4967, acid v. 2,4, sap. v. 13,4, sap. v. after acet. 52,8, 

 phenol-content 16 p. c; 4 p. c. of the oil combined with neutral sulphite. Jensen found 

 the oil to contain 35 p. c. of a terpene possessing the following characters: b. p. about 

 66,5° at 15 to 18 mm., di-.o 0,790, n D20 o 1,4778. It did not boil without decomposition 

 under ordinary pressure and when hydrated it afforded an alcohol of which the acetic 

 ester had an odour of linalyl acetate. It resinifies with extreme rapidity when exposed 

 to air. All these properties agree with those of myrcene. Jensen also assumes that, 

 in addition to the above, the oil contains the following constituents: methylchavicol 

 (conversion into anethol), the acetate of myrcenol or of an isomeride of myrcenol, 

 chavicol (n 1,538; green coloration with ferric chloride), and perhaps an olefinic ses- 

 quiterpene. Diosphenol was not present in the oil. 



A new species of Barosma has been described as B. Peglera j by R. A. Dummer 4 ). 

 It occurs on grassy slopes in the Eastern parts of South Africa. The leaves show 

 some resemblance to those of B. lanceolata, but they differ from the latter in their 

 shape, which is broader and elliptical, and by the presence of oil-cells on the lower 

 surface of the leaf. It is not yet possible to judge whether the leaves possess any 

 economic value. 



Cajuput Oil. We have received from our source of supply on the island of Bum 

 regular supplies of the well-tried quality of oil, but generally speaking business has 

 dragged greatly, and transactions of any importance were rare. The greater part of 

 the production of cajuput oil continues to be consumed in the United States. 



x ) Chemist and Druggist 81 (1912), 546. — -) Comp. Report October 1911, 23. — 3 ) Pharmaceutical 

 Joarn. 90 (1913), 60. — *) Few Bull. 1912, 326. 



