COMMEBCIAL PRODUCTION OF LEMON-GRASS OIL. 7 



showed that 1.2 gram of oil was dissolved in each gallon of water, a 

 quantity too small to make its recovery profitable. Examination of 

 this recovered oil showed its characteristics to be practically identical 

 with the oil distilled directly from the herb. 



VARIETIES. 



Duiing the many years that lemon grass has been cultivated a great 

 variety of forms of the plant has been developed. Some years ago 

 an attempt was made to divide the old species into two separate 

 species, basing the descriptions partially on the character of the oil 

 secured from the two sorts. In the essential-oil trade it long has been 

 recognized that there is a Avide difference in the characteristics of 

 lemon-grass ods from different regions. It is not the purpose of this 

 paper, however, to discuss any questions of systematic relationship 

 or nomenclature of the plant, but since a wide difference has been 

 found in the commercial value of the strains under experimental 

 cultivation, a brief discussion of these will be of interest to the pros- 

 pective grower. 



During the course of the experiments, plants were obtained from a 

 number of sources, and altogether 13 different strains have been 

 tested. Following are the sources of the various strains : 



1. Secured from a nursery in Florida. Tlie oritiiiial stock was from 



Havana. 



2. A local form sold in Die Florida nursery trade. 



3. Isle of Pines. 



4. Porto Rico. 



5. Cochin China. 



6. Ceylon. 



7. Mexico. 



8. India. 



9. India. ' 



10. 11, and ]2. ()ri),dii unknown. 

 13. Ceylon. 



'^ITicsc 13 strains faU into the foll(A\niig clnssf's as regards gi-owtli 

 <tharacteristics : 



(1) The West Indian type, represented by Nos. 1, 2, .'i, and I . The planls arc 21 Id :! 

 feet hif^h, with lax, droopinj;; leaves and of light color. 



(2) Tl>e East Indian typo, represented by Nos. 5, S, and !). TIk; plants are '.Vj in I 

 feet high and crcrt. The leaves are rallicr creel and more s(at)r()ns tlinn i]\c West 

 Indian form. 



(?>) The Mexican form, represented by Xn. 7. This is a we:d< form, very dniopinj;- 

 in habi*. with lax leaves and very liglitin (oinr 



Xo. 6 ha.s the typical West iudiuii uj)pearaiice, but is juurkcidly 

 different in oil yield. No. 13 has tlic typical Kast Indian appearance, 

 <!\f('pt tlie col<»i-, wlii<-h is very ligbl, almost ycUowish. Nos. JO, 1 1^ 

 .and 12 arc of the a|)|);-ov(Ml lOasl Indiiin lype. 



