— 44 — 



Elemi from Southern Nigeria, of which the botanical origin 

 is unknown, varied in colour from white to pale yellow and yellowish 

 green; it was of fairly solid consistency, and mixed with brown spots 

 and vegetable residue. 



A sample gave 0,6 °/ of ash, acid no. 55,3, sap. no. 71,9, the 

 essential oil yield amounted to 8,1 °/ . This oil was of a straw yellow 

 colour and contained ample proportions of phellandrene. The following 

 constants are recorded: di 5 o 0,8686, specific rotation in a 100 mm. 

 tube -f- 50°3o'. A second sample gave 0,53 °/ ash, acid no. 37,8, 

 sap. no. 46,2; it contained 4,4% of essential oil. 



Uganda elemi, from Canarium Schweinfurthii was white to pale 

 yellow and contained a considerable admixture of dark spots and 

 wood, giving it a dirty appearance. The resin contained o,3°/o asn J 

 acid no. 29,4, sap. no. 44,8 (both of these determined from a clean, 

 picked sample). Steam distillation of this sample yielded n,2°/ of 

 a pale, straw-coloured oil (d i5 o 0,8451; «d(Md?)-{- 79 20') containing 

 a large proportion of phellandrene. 



According to these data, African elemi generally resembles Manila 

 elemi, but it yields a much smaller proportion of volatile oil than 

 does the latter. Possibly, if African elemi were carefully gathered 

 and treated, it might compete with Manila elemi, but as the demand 

 is only small it might be difficult to find an outlet for large quantities, 

 should they be brought to market. 



Essential Oils, Sicilian and Calabrian. 



In accordance with our usual custom, we subjoin the report of 

 our friend, Mr. Eduardo Jacob of Messina, to which reference has 

 already been made in the preface. 



Anyone who to-day on board of a rapid vessel passes through 

 the Straits of Messina, will behold, as formerly, on the one side the 

 smiling green chain of the Pelorian hills, while upon the other there 

 rises majestically the forest-crowned mass of the Aspromonte. As 

 in former times, so to-day, both shores appear to be adorned with a 

 gay wreath of towns and villages, which impress their charming imprint 

 upon the Straits of Messina. But, alas! when on the one or the 

 other side the vessel closely approaches the shore! Where once stood 

 flourishing cities, rich villages, and the smiling country seats of the 

 wealthy of this beautiful corner of the earth, we now only behold 

 confused masses of ruins; jagged remains of broken walls point towards 

 the skies; churches, theatres, palaces, dwelling houses, even the lowly 

 huts of the peasants, have fallen into dust and ruin, and beneath 

 them, throughout the district, from 100 000 to 200000 human beings 

 lie buried, while the unfortunate survivors have fled from their in- 



