484 
Ceylon  Products. 
/Am.  Jour.  Pharm 
t      0  1. 1,  1874. 
nature.  His  notion,  as  has  already  been  stated,  is,  that  it  is 
C10HI6OH20. 
1.  By  the  loss  of  H202  this  becomes  C10H16.  Sulphuric  acid 
causes,  bj  its  action  upon  the  oxidized  oil,  the  formation  of  a  body 
which  gives  a  violet  coloration  to  chromic  acid  solution. 
2.  By  the  loss  of  2H20,  the  body  becomes  C10HU.  Chloride  of 
zinc  destroys  the  active  agent,  and  C10HU  (cymene"  is  a  product  of 
its  action  upon  C10H16O. 
3.  By  the  loss  of  0  it  becomes  C10H16*H2O.  Deoxidizing  bodies, 
as  pyrogallate  of  potash,  etc.,  also  destroy  the  active  agent.  These 
data  combine  to  show  that  the  constitution  of  the  body  is  as  repre- 
sented. It  is  also  a  fact  that  C10H16O'H2O  is  somewhat  soluble  in 
water. — Pharm.  Journ.  and  Transactions,  Aug.  1,  1874. 
CEYLON  PRODUCTS. 
In  a  description  of  Ceylon  contained  in  the  report  of  British 
Colonies  at  the  Vienna  Exhibition,  prepared  at  the  request  of  the 
British  Commission,  we  find  brief  allusion  to  certain  products  of  that 
Island  which  are  of  interest  to  the  chemist  and  druggist.  With  re- 
gard to  cinchona,  we  note  that  its  cultivation  in  Ceylon  was  com- 
menced about  ten  or  eleven  years  ago.  A  number  of  young  plants, 
carefully  selected,  were  imported  and  set  in  the  Botanical  Gardens  at 
Hakgala,  at  an  elevation  of  about  6000  feet.  The  results,  as  an  ex- 
periment, have  been  most  satisfactory.  The  trees  have  already 
yielded  a  small  supply  of  bark,  which  is  said  to  have  been  valued  in 
England  at  an  exceedingly  high  rate.  A  large  number  of  crossed 
species  have  been  spontaneously  developed,  which,  it  is  believed,  will 
produce  exceptionally  fine  bark.  The  coffee  planters,  too,  have  largely 
availed  themselves  of  the  gratuitous  issue  of  young  plants  from  the 
Government  plantation,  and  have  placed  them  in  those  positions  on 
their  estates  which  are  unsuited  for  the  growth  of  coffee.  Sufficient 
success  has  been  attained  to  justify  sanguine  hopes  that  an  extended 
cultivation  will  be  profitable,  and  that  a  large  export  business  will 
spring  up.  The  cultivation  of  vanilla  does  not  appear  to  be  very 
extensive,  and  no  record  can  be  found  of  the  amount  grown  in  or 
exported  from,  the  colony.  An  excellent  sample  was  sent  to  the 
Vienna  Exhibition.  Cinnamon  is  now  exclusively  and  profitably 
grown,  mainly  in  the  neighborhood  of  Colombo,  and  is  described  as 
having  somewhat  the  appearance,  and  being  about  the  size,  of  the 
European  laurel.  Of  late  years,  owing  to  the  immense  improvement 
in  the  preparation  and  cultivation  of  the  spice,  and  to  a  largely  in- 
creased demand  at  remunerative  rates,  there  has  been  a  much 
increased  export  from  Ceylon,  and  there  has  been  considerable 
