OLEUM ANDROPOGONIS. 727 



been decomposed by sodium, and the oil again rectitied, a second auiihsis 

 was made which proved it isomeric with oil of turpentine. 



A genuine grass oil from Khandesh, derived as we suppose from the 

 same species, which was examined by one of us (F.), yielded nothing 

 crystalline when saturated with dry hydrochloric acid ; but when the 

 liquid was afterwards treated with fuming nitric acid, crystals of the 

 compound, G^m^^, HCl, sublimed into the upper part of the vessel. We 

 have observed that the oils both of lemon grass and citronella yield solid 

 compounds, if shaken with a saturated solution of bisulphite of sodium. 

 Citronella oil was found by Gladstone (1872) to be composed chiefly 

 of an oxidized oil, which he called Gitronellol, and which he separated 

 by fractional distillation into two portions, the one boiling at 202-205" C, 

 the other 199-202° C. The composition of each portion is indicated by 

 the formula C'^ff '0. 



Wright's researches (1874) tend rather to show the prevailing part of 

 citronella oil to consist of the liquid C^'ff '0, boiling near 210", which he 

 calls Gitronellol, It unites with bromine, and the resulting compound, 

 upon heating, breaks up according to the following equation : 



C'^H^'OBr' =: Off - 2 HBr . Q''W\ 



Cymene. 



Commerce — The growing trade in grass oil is exemplified in a 

 striking manner by the following statistics. The export of Citronella 

 Oil from Ceylon in 18G4 was 622,000 ounces, vdued at £8230. In the 

 Geylon Blue Book, the exports for 1872 are returned thus:— 



To the United Kiii^dom . , . . 1,163,074 ounces 



British India 5.713 „ f 1,595,25/ ounces.' 



United States of North America . . 426,470 „ 



In 1875 the oil shipped from Ceylon to the United Kingdom was 

 valued at 42,871 rupees, that sent to other foreign countries at 45,871 

 rupees, to British possessions 660 rupees (one rupee equal to about 28) 



Oil of Lemon Grass, which is a more costly article and less extensively 

 produced, was exported from Ceylon during the same year to the extent 

 of 13,515 ounces, more than half of which quantity was shipped to the 

 United States. There are no analogous statistics for these two oils Irom 

 Singapore, where, as stated at p. 726, they are now largely manufactured. 

 . By the official Report on the External Commerce ofBorahay, Published 

 in 1867, we find that during the year ending 31 March, 1867, Gi^a^s Oil 

 [i.e. Ginger-grass or Busa Oil] was exported thence to the amo^if />* 

 41,643 lb. This oil is shipped to England and to the ports of the 

 Red Sea. ^^ 



Uses-Grass oils are much esteemed in India as an external appli- 

 ptiou in rheumatism. Kusa oil is said to stimulate the growth ot the 

 tair. Internally, c^rass oil is sometimes administered as a ™^^tiv e in 

 <^olic ; and an infusion of the leaves of lemon grass is prescribed as a dia- 

 phoretic and stimulant. In Europe aJid America^the oils aie used 

 almost exclusively by the soapraakers and perfumers. 



, ' In addition to which, there were "842 species of ^ff?^'^^^^^^ 



fozens and 33 packages" of the same oil ^k^^'S\ J !^^k^^ 



sliipped to the United States. One ounce whose flesh and milk become ourea wi 



equal to 31-1 grammes. its ^^^^'"^ *''*''^' 



■l^he foliage of the large odoriferous 



