Vol. IX. Xo. 226. 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS 



407 



LEMON GRAyS OIL IN SOUTHERN INDIA. 



Mr. Werner Iteiiiliart, of llie tiriii of VolkurL Uro-., of 

 Winterthur (.Switzeihiml), has had the courtesy to sulkily us 

 with full details of llie lemon grass oil industry in the south- 

 ern part of Hritisli India. These jjarticulars (for which we 

 here return our sincere thanks to the writer) will no doubt 

 prove of general interest. .Mr. lieinhart informs us that lemon 

 grass (Cpinbopoffon ftejuosiis, iitapf) occurs hoth in the will 

 state and as a cultivated plaut on the western littoral of 

 Southern India, from Cape Coniorin northw^irds up to 

 Malabar. As the grass requires a good deal of moisture, liut 

 does not flourish in places where the rain-water cannot 

 percolate the soil, the cidtures are mostly found on the lower 

 spurs of the Ghats. The districts which are of the greatest 

 importance for the distillation of oil are the back country of 

 Anjengo, the hilly borders of the Periyar River in Travancore, 

 and the [ilantation districts of Peermade in Travancore, and 

 Nellampatty in the State of Cochin. Lemon grass oil is also 

 distilled on the eastern side of the (ihats, and in the Tani 

 hills. At the time when the prices of lemon grass oil ruled 

 high, the production was increa.sed in a senseless manner; but 

 recently, owing to the reaction in jirices following the over- 

 production, it has been considerably reduced, the principal 

 undertakings where distilling has been abandoned being the 

 large plantations, which worked with expensive plant and 

 dear labour. In some few districts, as for instance in 

 Wynaad, the low aldehyde content of the oils produced has 

 also had a discouraging effect upon the production. Hut the 

 native peasants are ajiparently able to make distilling pa)% 

 even at as low a jirice as 2d. per oz. 



The distillation of the oil begins shortly after the com 

 mencement of the rainy sea.son; that is to say, about the 

 beginning of .'uly, and continues according to the course 

 of the monsoon, which follows the si>uth west monsoon, until 

 early in January. But on the West Coast the north-east 

 monsoon is usually very scanty, and often remains altogether 

 absent; it is generally necessary to stop distilling early in 

 January, owing to the drought which then .;ets in. I'he cultiva- 

 tions, that is to say, the dried grass, are then burnt down, 

 as the ash makes a good manure. In the valleys, that is in 

 places where artificial irrigation is po.ssible, lemon gra.ss must 

 give way as early as December to the cultivation of winter 

 crops, chiefl}' rice. 



Mr. Reinhart furnishes the following description of 

 a native distilling plant on the Periyar River in the district 

 of Travancore: — 



The plant, which usually remains located in the same 

 place throughout the year, is invariably covered by a straw 

 roof resting on liamboo poles; a copper still about fi feet high 

 and 3 feet in diameter is erected upon a hearth built of stones 

 about 1 foot high. There are no special arrangements for 

 carrying off the smoke, the air having access to the fire from 

 all sides; the stones composing the hearth are placed upon 

 one another loosely in the form of a circle. About midway 

 at the side of the still is an opening which can be clo.sed by 

 a cover, and through which the gra.ss is charged into the 

 still and taken out after distilling. The top of the still is 

 surmounted by a removable helm, from which a copper ris- 

 ing tube leads to the condensing worm which is placed in 

 a wooden vat about 6 feet high. Water from a well is led 

 into the condensing vessel through a wooden gutter. The 

 receiver is a vessel constructed on the principle of the Floren- 

 tine fiask, with this difference, that it constitutes a shallow 

 but very wide cylinder without cover. The width of the 

 receiver supplies a large surface, on vi'hieh the oil accumu- 

 lates, and from which it is occa.sionally removed with a spoon. 



The water which distils over at the same time flows away 

 through a tul>e which points upwards, projecting close to the 

 ground at an acute angle. This aromatic water is not, as is 

 usunlly the case, used for distilling fresh quantities of grass, 

 but is simply allowed to run to waste. For distilling pur- 

 poses, the freshly collected gra.ss tops, tied in small bundles, are 

 fed into the still through the oj^ening at the side as well as from 

 above, until the still is about three-fourths full. About 

 1,000 bundles, of an aggregate weight of about 700 ft)., go to 

 a charge: water being added to about one fourth of the 

 height, or al)Out 40 gallons altogether. The opening at the 

 side is then closed, the helm placed in position, and all the 

 apertures carefully luted with cow-dung; after this, the fire is 

 lighted under the still. From five to si.x hours are required 

 to distil one charge, which produces a yield of 1 to li bottles 

 of 22 oz. each. The oil is allowed to remain in the" bottles 

 for some time, in order that any water which has Ijeen 

 removed w^ith it may separate out, and also to allow impuri- 

 ties, such as coi)per salts, to be precipitated. It is run into 

 galvanized drums at the port of shipment. (From the Semi- 

 Annual Report of Schimmel X- Co., October 1910.) 



THE INTERNATIONAL RUBBER 

 EXHIBITION, 1911. 



The India Rubber World trophy, offered to stimulate an 

 interest in improved methods of dealing with the latex of the 

 Castilloa rubber, and to be awarded at the International 

 Rubber Exhibition in London next year, is a silver cup of 

 artistic design and workman.ship, -50 inches in height. 



coxiJiTioN.s. 1. The cup will be awarded fbr the best 

 process, method, tool orappliance for extracting the maximum 

 amount of latex from Caatil/ua t/astici. 



2. Entries may be tools or appliances, accompanied by 

 full descriptions, or drawings accompanied by descriptions. 



3. There will be no entrance fee. 



i. Tools, ap'pliances, c^r drawings submitted for competi- 

 tion will be assembled as one exhibit, known as The India 

 Rubber World Competition. 



5. The cup will be the absolute property of the successful 

 contestant. It will be presented to the winner or his 

 accredited representative at the International Rublier Exhibi- 

 tion Dinner, to be held in London, while the Exhibition is in 

 [>rogress. 



6. The judges have the right to test every tool or 

 appliance. 



7. Tool.s, appliances, and drawings will be returned to 

 the owners or representatives at the clo.se of the Exhibition. 



8. While the management of the Exhibition will 

 scrupulously protect the exhibits, they will not be responsible 

 for toss or damage from any cause. 



9. The judges' decision shall be final, and entries will be 

 accepted only on this understanding. 



10. All entries must be made to the Award Committee, 

 International Itubber and .\llied Trades Exhibition, Limited, 

 7o, Chancery Lane, London, W. C, by Monday night. May 1, 

 1911. Letters bearing the postmark May 1 , will be accepted 

 as entered at the offices on that date. Entries should be sent 

 by registered post, or delivered by hand, that a receipt may 

 be given for them. Exhibits for comi)etition must be .sent 

 direct to the Award Committee, Royal Agricultural Hall, 

 Islington, London, N., but should not reach that Imilding 

 before June 1-5 and not later than June 20. Tran.sportation 

 must be paid on all exhibits. 



The Exhiliition opens June 24 and closes July 11. 

 (From the Iwlia Rubha- World, November 1, 1910.) 



