284 TROPICAL AGRICULTURE 



widely used in India and is also exported to the extent of 

 66,000,000 pounds annually. The oil content of the nut ker- 

 nels is 55 to 65 per cent. Mowra fat is soft and yellow. It 

 is used in India as a cooking fat particularly for mixing with 

 ghi, or clarified butter, and for tallow. In Europe, mowra fat 

 is employed in the manufacture of margarine and also as a 

 chocolate fat. In soap-making, mowra fat is of equal value 

 with palm oil. Mowra cake contains a poisonous saponin and 

 is therefore not suitable for use as a cattle feed. The ma- 

 terial, however, makes a good fertilizer, containing 17 per 

 cent, protein and 7.5 per cent. ash. 



The same material is obtained from Mauritius imder the 

 name illipe oil. In Mauritius it appears that 100 kilograms of 

 shelled nuts are required to yield 16.5 liters of pure oil. While 

 this oil is used in considerable quantities in India as a cooking 

 oil, it seems not likely to assume any importance in that re- 

 gard in Europe or America. 



ESSENTIAL OILS 



Citronella grass oil is obtained by distillation from the leaves 

 of the grass Andropogon nardus which is cultivated espe- 

 cially in Ceylon and Java. In Ceylon about 40,000 acres are 

 devoted to the production of this crop. Two cuttings a year 

 are obtained and the yield of oil per acre is 40 pounds per 

 year. The oil is used chiefly in perfuming toilet soaps of the 

 cheaper quality. There appear to be several grades of this 

 oil in Ceylon and apparently two or more varieties of citro- 

 nella grass are used as a source of the oil. A planting of 

 citronella grass persists for 15 years or more before the 

 plants become exhausted. 



Lemon grass oil is obtained from the leaves of a closely 

 related grass, A. citratus, native to India and Ceylon. The 

 yield obtained from this grass averages 20 pounds of oil per 

 acre with a value of about $500. The oil is used in scenting 



