•COMMERCIAL PRODUCTION OF LEMON-GRASS OIL. 3 



PROPAGATION. 



Lemon grass does not produce seed in this country, although occa- 

 sionally an abortive flower spike may be found on old, neglected 

 plants. Propagation, therefore, is effected by division of the clumps. 

 From each clump 25 to 50 divisions may be separated easily by tear- 

 ing them off from the base of the mature plant. This should be accom- 

 phshed by a sidewise pull, so that a few root fibers will be retained 

 on each division. In case the old plants are to remain in their places 

 the required number of divisions can be secured by pulling them off 



Fig. 2.— I-/emon grass 31 feet high six months after planting on sandy pine land. 



from the outer edge of the old clump. With a little practice these 

 may be removed without loss of root fibers. 



Before planting, the tops of the divisions should be cut back to about 

 3 inches (fig. 3). The plants should be set in the early spring in rows 

 .'•) feet a[)art and about 18 inches apart in the row. This work should 

 he done just after a ruin or at a time wlien the soil is sufficiently moist 

 not to rc(|uii'(' artificial watering. 



FHUTHJZKRS AND CULTIVATION. 



The results ol)l;rnic(| from exjx'riiucnl.il (Vrlili/ci- j)lats seem to 

 indicates tlnit on tlie sandy Florida soils ratlici" inoic potash is r(M(nired 

 by lemon glass than by most grasses. Analysis shows a consich^rable 

 variation in the percentage of nitrogen, phosphoric acid, and potash 

 present in th(; plants of the different varieties tested. Tlu^ results 

 -eenred with one variety, whieh iii!iy be taken as a ty|)(', sliow that 

 .") tons of lemon g/ii>s conliiin 2().;>2 pounds of nitrogen, 3."). 20 |)oiinds 



