XANTHORRHGA. 
acids, the latter of which can be made more cheaply from other sources. 
No characteristic dye was obtained: from the phenol from: the resins, 
by combining with diazotized aniline, or phthalic anhydride.. The yield 
of p.-oxybenzoic acid depends largely on the temperature of the fusion 
and the duration of heating. 
X. preissvi gave 1 per cent. fragrant. oil—more fragrant than other 
species. The distillation was.long and continuous before all oil could 
be separated. X. tateana gave a sharp end to oil distillation. 
The Special Committee’ examined chiefly— 
(1) Red resin from X. tateana of Kangaroo Island. 
(2) Red resin from X. preissii from Western Australia; and. 
(8) Yellow resin, which can be obtained from about 1 per cent. 
of the trees on Kangaroo Island, and possibly of a differ- 
ent species to (1). i 
In X. preissii, parahydroxy-benzaldehyde was not detected. 
By steam distillation from strongly alkaline solutions, the following 
substances not hitherto found in X. resin have been obtained :— 
(1) Red Resin (X. tateana), Kangaroo Island— 
(a) A small quantity of fragrant liquid of vanillin- 
like odour. 4 
(b) Pwonol (2-hydroxy, 4-methoxy-acetophenone). 
(c) Traces of material of higher boiling point? 
(2) Yellow Resin (Y. tateana), Kangaroo Island— 
The same substances as in the red, with a much greater 
quantity of pronol; and in addition— 
(d) Hydroxy-pronol in quantity about two-thirds of 
that of the pxonol. 
(3) Red Resin, from X. preissii, Western Australia— 
Peonol and hydroxy-pxonol as above, also— 
(e) Citronellol. ; 
(f) Methoxy-diphenyl-ether, and two other unidentified 
substances. 
According to an investigation by the Imperial Institute, benzoie acid 
was not found in the resins tested; and in the waste product from steam- 
prepared resin, H. G. Smith was unable to detect even traces of benzoic 
acid, and Tschirch and Hildebrand, in the red resin examined, recorded 
that no cinnamic acid occurred. 
The Imperial Institute concluded that “the composition of both 
red and yellow resin is very imperfectly known, and thorough investiga- 
tion is desirable.” 
The product of greatest interest is that of picrie acid. This was 
first made in 1771 by Woulfe, by the action of strong nitric acid or 
indigo. Liebig was the first to analyze it and prepare its salts. Dumas 
gave it its present name from the Greek word meaning “ bitter.” 
Laurent synthesized it from phenol, and ascertained its chemical con- 
stitution. Prior to its manufacture from phenol, it was made from 
“ Acaroides resin,” or Australian Grass Tree Gum—the yellow variety 
from X. hastilis, most likely; but’ the origin of the red variety is 
uncertain. 
283 
