278 



by its considerably higher aldehyde-content (83 "5 per cent., against 

 48 ' 2 per cent for the other) but it shares with the latter its insolubility 

 in 70 and 80 per cent, alcohol ; 90 per cent, and absolute alcohol form 

 at first a clear solution, but when more is added, they cause strong 

 turbidity. In its physical constants the oil does not show any specially 

 great dLfferences from those observed at other times ; we found 

 d 15° 0,8922, a (100 mm) o and n 20° __ 



D ~ 9' D "" 



1,48826. 



"West Indian Grass Oils. 



By Ernest J. Parry, B.Sc, F I.C. 



Extract from the Chemist and Druggist, September 19. 



In tbe March issue of the Bulletin of the Department of Agricul- 

 ture for Jamaica an account of some grass oils distilled in Trinidad and 

 in Jamaica was given by the Jamaica official analyst, Mr. H. H. 

 Cousins. It appears that a vigorous attempt is intended to take up 

 the cultivation of the Andropogon grasses, with, a view to devoloping 

 the essential oil industry, on account of the reduced cultivation of the 

 sugar cane. The Trinidad oils distilled experimentally were those of 

 the Andropogon Nardus and A. Schoenanihus, and were found to 

 possess the following characters : — 



A. Nardus. A. Schoenanihus. 



Sp.gr. at 15° ... 0-9084 0-9315 



Rotation ... +0-1° +3° 



Aldehydes ... 15*5 per cent. 48-2 per cent. 



The oil from the A. Nardus showed a total geraniol and citronellal 

 value of 53 per cent,, and thus corresponds witb an ordinary Ceylon 

 citronella oil, except that its content in active constituents is somewhat 

 low. This however is possibly accidental, and with proper distillation a 

 normal oil would no doubt result. The A. Schoenanihus oil did not 

 in tbe least resemble a palmarosa oil, but much more closely resembles 

 Jemon grass oil. 



I am indebted to Mr. Cousins for samples of the Jamaican oils, which 

 are of very great interest. I propose to investigate them more fully, 

 but in the meantime give the following details of them : — 



The oil from A, Nardus is a pale oil of exceptionally fine odour, 

 and has the following characters : 



Sp, gr. at 15° ... 0-8955 



Rotation, 100 mm. 



Refractive index at 20° 



Aledhydes 



Greraniol and citronellal 



—3° 30' 

 1-4712 

 25 per cent. 

 87 per cent. 



In general it appears to closely resemble the fine Java citronella oils, 

 being of much finer odour than the normal Ceylon distillates. It is 



