176 PHILIPPINE RESINS, GUMS, AND OILS 



Bacon thought that lemon grass should be considered as a 

 possible catch crop for the first few years of new Philippine 

 plantations. He did not recommend it as a permanent crop on 

 account of the limited demand for the oil. The grass from 

 which oil has been extracted is burned under the distilling boiler 

 and the ashes distributed over the fields as fertilizers. The ex- 

 hausted grass is also used for making paper. 



Lemon grass is a tufted perennial with leaves up to 1 meter 

 in length and 1.4 centimeters in width. It is widely distributed, 

 but not extensively cultivated in the Philippines and does not 

 grow outside of cultivation. 



ANDROPOGON NARDUS var. HAMATULUS Hack. 



CITRONELLA OIL 



The typical form of this species is cultivated in India, Ceylon, 

 and other tropical countries for the essential oil obtained from 

 it. It probably could be cultivated in the Philippines also. 

 When this grass is distilled it yields a pale yellow oil, which 

 has a very strong odor and is known commercially as citronella 

 oil. 



As the variety hairmtulus, which occurs in the Philippines, 

 has not been investigated chemically, it is not certain that it 

 will yield citronella oil. 



On account of its low price, citronella oil is used chieflly for 

 perfuming cheap soaps and also as a protection against the 

 bites of insects. An ointment containing 25 per cent of oil of 

 citronella is an excellent protection against mosquitoes. Ac- 

 cording to Parry * pure citronella oil has the following constants : 



Specific gravity 0.900 to 0.915 



Rotation 0° to -15° 



Sp. gr. of 1st 10 per cent (distilled at 20-40 



mm.) above 0.858 



Refractive index of same at 20° above 1.4570 



Solubility in 80 per cent alcohol to pass Schimmel's test 



Geraniol and citronella above 58 per cent 



(Calculated as total geraniol). 



Parry describes methods for preparing pure citronella oil. 

 He also discusses methods for determining the purity and the 

 presence of adulterants. 



Askinson f states that essence of citronella contains three 

 ounces of citronella oil dissolved in one gallon of alcohol. 



* Parry, E. J. Chemistry of essential oils and artificial perfumes, 

 (1908), page 171. 

 t Askinson, G. W., Perfumes and cosmetics (1915), page 161. 



