was found. A similar result was obtained by Enklaar when oxidizing a fraction of Dutch 
myrtle oil’), when an acid formed of the m. p. 102 to 103°, which in his opinion may 
possibly have consisted of i-pinonic acid or impure I-nopinic acid. Another explanation 
for the formation of the acid would be that in the oil examined by Enklaar, as well as 
in the one examined by us, a hydrocarbon is present which, when oxidized, yields the 
acid of the m. p. 103°. 
The higher-boiling fractions (b. p. 45 to 72° at 3mm) resembled carvone in odour, 
but yielded no semicarbazone. 
NOVELTIES. 53 
Oil from Melaleuca hypericifolia. In the Biological Agriculturai Institute of Amani 
(German East Africa) an oil was obtained from the leaves of Melaleuca hypericifolia, Sm., 
a sample of which was submitted to us for valuation. It was of pale green colour 
and in odour as well as in its constants it showed a certain similarity to the oil of 
Eucalyptus Globulus; diso 0,9145; ¢p + 0° 18’; np»0 1,46271; soluble in 2,5 volumes 
and more of 70 p.c. alcohol. The eucalyptol percentage (resorcinol method, separated 
off in the form of a solid resorcinol combination) amounted to 72 p.c. 
Oils from Melaleuca leucadendron var. Two distillates produced in Amani 
from the leaves of varieties of Melaleuca leucadendron, the mother-plant of cajuput oil, 
were quite different from this latter oil, as was shown by their constants and more 
especially by their odour. One of these oils originated from the narrow-leaved, the 
_ other from the broad-leaved variety. Whereas in cajuput oil proper eucalyptol is the 
most important part from the point of view of odour, this body is entirely absent 
from the oil of the broad-leaved variety, and in the oil from the narrow-leaved variety 
it occurs only in a subordinate position. A further examination showed the oil of the 
broad-leaved variety to consist of about 78 p.c. of methyleugenol (veratric acid, 
-m. p. 179,5°), i.e. of a body which does not occur at all in real cajuput oil. To 
judge from the basil-like odour of this oil, methylchavicol might be suspected, but a 
test in this direction gave a negative result. We have not yet examined the oil of 
the narrow-leaved variety more closely, but we may say at once that it is also of 
quite a different composition to cajuput oil. We cannot venture an opinion as to how 
these differences are to be explained. 
The constants of the two distillates will be found in the following table: — 
Broad-leaved Narrow-leaved 
variety variety 
ieee. ree 2. o- £,0019 0,9056 
Se oe ee gm. OO A — 0° 22’ 
Mya te oi ee «12000 1,47936 
Ae ae <A 0,7 
Cae AME se os 7,0 fs 
ester v. after acetylation 15,2 | 84,8 
mci ee). , .- 0,6 volume 1,5 volumes 
and more of 80 p.c. alcohol. 
Oil of Mother-cloves (Anthophyili). As will be known, the berry-like fruits 
collected from the clove-trees shortly before maturity are called mother-cloves. In 
an experimental distillation we obtained from this material 2,03 p.c. of an oil of a 
1) Comp. Report October 1912, 54. 
