103 



made by Mr. Bruce, which show that every 10,000 lb. of Lemon 

 grass contain about 65 lb. of potash, 12 lb. of nitrogen, 12 lb. of 

 lime, and 9 lb. of phosphoric acid. The same quantity of Citron- 

 ella grass removes less potash and lime but more nitrogen and 

 phosphoric acid. The weight of Citronella grass per acre is 

 usually much greater than that of Lemon grass, and is in most 

 cases the more exhausting of the two. 



Sufficient has been said to show that we have in Lemon grass 

 and Citronella two products which can be regarded as catch crops 

 since they gave a return six months from planting ; the cultivation 

 is simple, the plants are very hardy and seem to be compairatively 

 free from disease. They can be grown on poor soils in a very 

 large part of this Island, and there is a fair demand for the oil. 

 It is proposed to publish the results in detail in the Magazine of 

 the Society, and to show by means of diagrams and photographs 

 the nature of the plants and also the machinery, used in these 

 industries, and it is therefore unnecessary for me to prolong my 

 remarks. 



THE DISCUSSION. 



H. E. the Governor : You mentioned that the cost was Rs. 

 30 an acre ? 



Mr. Wright: That was for cutting the grass, transporting, and 

 distilling, and also weeding. 



H. E. the Governor : Does anybody know about the range of 

 these grasses — the elevations at which they would grow .? 



Mr. Wright : Hitherto they have been confined to the South- 

 ern Province ; and this is the first time, I believe, that we have 

 grown them at 2,000 feet elevation at Peradeniya. 



H. E. the Governor : I have seen some plants growing very 

 freely at Nuwara Eliya, 6,000 feet elevation, apparently in Patana 

 land ? 



Mr. Wright : Citronella grass, as is well-known, is a variety of 

 the Mana grass, which grows wild. Wherever Mana grows you 

 might undoubtedly grow Citronella grass. 



H. E. the Governor : We might try it somewhere in the hill 

 country. 



Mr. Wright mentioned the Horton Plains. 



The Hon. Mr. J. FERGUSON enquired if Mr. Wright would 

 recommend planters who had Mana grass fields to try Lemon 

 grass or Citronella. 



Mr.,WRIGHT thought there would be no objection provided the 

 planting was considered a part of the co-operative experiments 

 being carried on by the Department. Any particular product that 

 the authorities considered experimental they would help the 

 planters to grow, provided they gave the results in return. 



The Hon. Mr. J. FERGUSON : Are co-operative experiments to 

 be introduced at different elevations ? 



Mr. WRIGHT said that was a matter they wished to see brought 

 forward. They would carry out experiments and see if certain 

 plants would grow at every thousand feet elevation. 



