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From Japan wo received the two following interesting novelties: 
Kobushi Oil. The oil obtained from the fresh leaves and branches 
of the Kobushi tree {Magnolia Kobus D. C.) in a yield of about 0,45 per 
cent., has a bright yellow colour, and possesses the following properties: 
d^go =0,9642; aj) = — acid number = 1,5; ester number = 8,87; 
soluble in 1,2 vol. 80 per cent, alcohol ; the greatly diluted solution shows 
opalescence. The odour of the oil reminds of sassafras oil, and gives 
rise to the presumption that it contains a large proportion of safrol; 
the oil also contains among others small quantities of citral. The 
species of magnolia which yields this oil occurs chiefly in the central 
districts of Japan; the distillation of the oil takes place from July to 
September. 
Yomugi Oil (Japanese oil of Artemisia vulgaris). This oil is 
derived from Artemisia vulgaris L., has a bright green colour, and 
a powerful cineol odour. The constants of the oil are as follows: 
dj^^o = 0,9101 ; ap = — I3°i6'; acid number = 1,56; ester number 
= 29,81. The oil does not completely dissolve in alcohol, as the 
dilute solution shows opalescence or cloudiness even when absolute 
alcohol is employed. 
The presence of cineol in the oil was proved by the iodol com- 
pound; thujone is probably also present. 
The oil may possibly be fairly similar to that which is produced 
from our native Artemisia vulgaris. 
Oil of Ajowan herb has recently been distilled by ourselves. 
The yield of oil from the fresh herb cultivated here by us, was 
0,12 percent. The light brown oil had a specific gravity of 0,8601 (15°) 
and an optical rotation of -|- 0^41'; it is soluble in about 6 vol. 90 per 
cent, alcohol, with abundant separation of paraffin. Contrary to the 
oil from the fruit, the oil from ajowan herb contains but very little 
thymol (about i per cent.). Among other constituents, the preliminary 
examination showed small quantities of phellandrene. 
Notes on recent scientific work concerning terpenes and 
terpene derivatives. 
In his annual report on the progress made in the domain of 
essential oils, A. Hesse ^) communicates a method for the deter- 
mination of phenols and phenolic acid esters on the lines of his 
determination of methyl ester of anthranilic acid. The oil to be 
^) Chem. Zeitschrift 2 (i903)» 403> 434. 4^4. 497, 534- 
