Scientific and other notes on essential oils. 7 



Oil of Calycanthus occidentalis. Calycanthus (Butneria) occidentalis, Hook, et 

 Arn. (N. 0. Calycanthacece) is a shrub found in northern California and south Oregon 

 which is called "Spice Bush". The composition of the oil resembles that of Calycanthus 

 floridus, which Miller investigated some time ago 1 ). C. C. Scalione 2 ) obtained from 

 the leaves 0.15 per cent, and from the twigs 0.37 per cent, of a greenish-yellow 

 volatile oil having a camphor-like smell and bitter taste. Constants: d 2 oo 0.9295; 

 « D + 7°28'; n D20O 1.4713; acid v. 0.05; sap. v. 54.3; ester v. after acet. 33.5. The 

 composition was about the following: 50 percent, cineole, 8 percent, d- and ?-pinene, 

 9 percent, borneol, 19 percent, linalyl acetate, besides small quantities of camphor, 

 methyl salicylate, and sesquiterpene alcohols. How the presence of these compounds 

 was proved does not appear from the abstract. The oil dissolves in all proportions 

 in 90 percent, alcohol and in 15 to 16 vol. of 70 percent, alcohol. 



Camphor Oil. As the American Consul -General in Yokohama reports 3 ), an 

 extraordinary rise is noticeable in the Japanese production of camphor, as the demand 

 increases, on the home market as well as on foreign ones, with the continuation of 

 the war. In Formosa, great efforts were made in order to foster the cultivation of 

 camphor trees. In 1916, 528000 lbs. of camphor on an average were shipped monthly 

 to the U. S. A., and owing to a new agreement between the Japanese Government and 

 American dealers shipments have risen to more than 1 million lbs. after April 1 st . 

 According to the calculations of the Japan Gazette, the output of camphor in 

 Formosa, in 1916, amounted to 11.6 million lbs. to the value of 3.2 million dollars. 

 Camphor prices show a continuous upward tendency, so that the Government counts 

 upon still higher revenues. 



According to W. A. Dyes 4 ), the export of camphor oil from Japan has, it is true, 

 increased after the establishment of refineries in Formosa, but in contradiction to the 

 statement given before the export of camphor has decreased. 



In 1913, the value of the exports of camphor from Japan was 2235784 yen; in 

 1914, 2780001 yen. The exports went to the following countries 5 ): — 



1913 1914 



Camphor in lOOO yen 



British India . . 830 824 



Great Britain . .... . . . 137 332 



France . . 67 224 



Germany . . . . . . . . . 426 260 



U. S. A. . . . 434 696 



Australia 102 104 



other countries 237 336 



total: 2235 2780. 



Germany imported from Japan about 4900 piculs in 1912 and 1913 and, in 1912, 

 16700 piculs from Formosa to the value of 1573000 yen, whereas the quantity fell to 

 7925 piculs to the value of 696000 yen in 1913. As per above statement, a large 

 part went to British India, where camphor is strown upon Buddhist holocausts for 

 purifying purposes. As for this purpose the cheap refuse camphor and camphor 



*) Journ. Americ. chem. Soc. 36 (1914), 2182; Report April 1915, 9. — -) Journ. ind. eng. Chemistry S 

 (1916), 729; Journ. Soc. chem. Industry 35 (1916), 978. — 3 ) Zeitschr. f. angew. Chem. 30 (1917), III. 341. — 

 4 ) Chem. Ztg. 41 (1917), 518. — 5 ) Comp. Report October 1916, 9. 



