122 BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY. 



grass oil is sometimes administered as a carminative in colic, and an 

 infusion of the leaves of lemon grass is prescribed as a diaphoretic 

 and stimulant. In Europe and America the oils are used almost 

 exclusively by the soap-makers and perfumers. The foliage of this 

 large odoriferous species of Andropogon is used in India for 

 thatching ; it is eaten voraciously by cattle, whose flesh and milk 

 become flavoured with its strong aroma. 



" But the most remarkable use made of any grass oil is that for 

 adulterating Attar of hose in European Turkey. The oil employed 

 for the purpose is that of A. S chcenanthus, Linn., and it is a curious 

 fact that its Hindustani name is closely similar in sound to the word 

 JRose. Thus under the designation Rusa, Ro-wsa/i, Rosa, Rose, or 

 Roshe, it is exported in large quantities from Bombay to the 

 ports of Arabia, probably chiefly to Jeddah, whence it is carried to 

 Turkey by the Mahomedan pilgrims. In Arabia and Turkey it 

 appears under the name of Iclris Yaghi, while in the Attar-producing 

 districts of the Balkan it is known, at least to Europeans, as Geranium 

 oil or Palmarosa oil. Before being mixed with attar, the oil is sub- 

 jected to a certain preparation, which is accomplished by shaking it 

 with water acidulated with lemon-juice, and then exposing it to 

 the sun and air. By this process, recently described by Baur, the oil 

 looses its penetrating after-smell, and acquires a pale straw colour. 

 The optical and chemical differences between grass oil thus refined 

 and of attar of roses are slight, and do not indicate a small admix- 

 ture of the former. If grass oil is added largely to attar it will pre- 

 vent its congealing." 



Dr. Dymock, in his interesting work, " the Vegetable Materia 

 Medica of Western India,'' says : — ''The annual export of Roosa oil 

 from Bombay to the Red Sea ports and Europe exceed 40,000 lbs. ; it 

 is much used by the Arabs and Turks as a hair oil. The Bombay 

 dealers know nothing of its being used to adulterate Otto of Roses. 

 In India sandal-wood is used for the purpose." The learned doctor 

 makes no mention of the two varieties of Roosha grass and their oils 

 described by the Gazetteer. 



All the Andropogons mentioned hitherto belong, as you will 

 perceive, to the section called Cymbopogon. There are, however, 

 two other species also found in India which belong to the section 

 Gymnopogon, one of these is Andropogon, muricatus. This is a tali 

 grass, plentiful in the moist plains of Southern India, particularly 

 Bengal. The ancient rulers of the country appear to have levied an 



