Scientific and other notes on essential oils. 71 



The quantity of (oil of?) turpentine from quite freshly felled wood, found in ordinary 

 pines under these circumstances, amounted to 0.11 per cent, in the case of Scotch 

 pines, 0.8 per cent. 



Proof was further obtained that oil of turpentine was present in the blown-off 

 steam when the wood which had been extracted with ether was again heated with 

 caustic soda solution under pressure. Hence one is forced to the conclusion that oil 

 of turpentine is practically preformed in freshly felled wood only to a very small 

 extent, in matured wood not at all really, but that on the contrary it is only created 

 as a decomposition-product from wood when the latter is subjected to as high a 

 temperature as 170° and when caustic soda solution is employed as an agent of 

 decomposition. 



The fact also that in the cellulose industry oil of turpentine is only given off 

 when the heating vessels have reached the maximum pressure of 6—8 atmospheres 

 and simultaneously the maximum temperature of 170°, quite corresponds with these 

 observations, whereas oil of turpentine ought to pass over with steam at considerably 

 lower temperatures, if it were really present as such in the wood. 



It is well known that the mother plant of Indian oil of turpentine is Pinus 

 longifolia, Roxb. which is found in British India. The Imperial Forest Department of 

 India has published a voluminous report about this pine by R. S. Troup *) which has 

 also been the subject of discussion in various scientific papers. Pinus longifolia grows 

 in the Himalayas on the Siwalik hills from Bhutan to Afghanistan; in the Eastern 

 districts in heights reaching 6000 feet, but occurring rarely there above 5000 feet; in 

 the West, however, it is to be found at an altitude of 7500 feet. It has frequently been 

 cultivated in the plains also, outside its natural habitat, even at Calcutta. Besides it 

 has also been transplanted to the Nilghiris, on the plateau of Raigarh, in the Balaghat 

 district, and elsewhere. 



According to the most recent calculations, the area covered by Pinus longifolia 

 amounts to about 3370 sq. miles. Besides, however, there are also woods of it in 

 Sikkim, Bhutan, Nepal, Mandi, in the border states, and in Afghanistan, the extent of 

 which is as yet unknown. 



Pinus longifolia is gregarious, which facilitates the collection of the turpentine. In 

 some districts it is often found together with deciduous trees. It adapts itself to the 

 most various soils, is more susceptible towards low temperatures than towards high 

 ones and does not thrive accordingly in too elevated districts, but on the contrary in 

 the hot climate of the plains. 



Under favourable conditions this tree attains a height of 180 feet, only reaching 

 20 feet, however, under unfavourable conditions. 



Nothing is yet known about the oil produced by the needles; attempts to utilize 

 them for the production of oil do not appear to have been made hitherto. 



Occasionally the tree throws off its needles, especially in dry, hot districts, as 

 for instance in the hilly region near Kangra and below Naini-Tal, generally, however, 

 it retains them for about 17 months, exceptionally even for 2 or 3 years. At unsuitable 

 spots the branches cast off their needles in the beginning of March, generally, however, 

 not before April or May. By the end of June or July the last have dropped off; the 

 new ones, however, soon grow in their place and are 3 to 5 cm. long when old ones 

 are cast off, attaining their full size in August or September. 



') Perfum. Record 7 (1916), 243, 280. 



