20 Indian Forest Records. [VoL. IX 
(m) Japanese peppermint oil (Sc'iimmel and Co. Report 
1910. 97). 
(w) Cymhopogon proximus from the Soudan (Roberts, private 
communication) . 
Experimental 
The oil, which was obtained from the grass in a yield of 0-36 per 
cent, was pale brown in colour and had the constants given in Table I. 
It had a fresh odour of peppermint and resembled the Hazara oil but 
was somewhat harsher. When distilled imder diminished pressure 
(200 nm.) the following fractions were obtained : — 
No. 
B. P. 
Yield per cent. 
I 
up to 140° 
7-6 
II 
140-170° 
24-8 
III 
170-190° 
30-4 
The pressure was then reduced to 100mm. and two further fractions 
were taken: — 
IV 170—190° )2-4 
V 190—220" 21 
A considerable residue remained in the distilling flask. 
The first four fractions were shaken with a hot neutral solution of 
sodium sulphite until the ketone was completely removed, a process 
which takes some days, and the residual oil was distilled under 
diminished pressure (200mm.), the fraction passing over below 140° 
(24 per cent) was collected separately, whilst the fraction boiling 
above that temperature was added to fraction V from the first 
distillation. 
The fraction which boiled below 140°/ 200mm. was refractionated 
at the ordinary pressure (707mm. i when practically the whole 
distilled at 165-170° and on redistillation over sodium it distilled 
very constantly at 165-5-167°/707mm. This terpene was evidently 
identical with that isolated from the oil from Hazara as will be seen 
from a consideration of the constants which are given in Table II. 
[ 130 ] 
