— 48 — 



We may add that in the meantime we have grudged no expense or 

 trouble to obtain really unadulterated citronella oil from Ceylon, and we 

 are glad to be able to inform our clients that we are now in possession 

 of such an oil, which answers every test, including of course Schimmers 

 "increased test", and which possesses a geraniol-content ranging from 57 

 to 61 °/o according to the drums. The price of this newly-introduced variety 

 of oil, the appearance of which will probably be received with general 

 satisfaction, is about 10°/o in excess of that of the ordinary quality. 



In our October Report of 1909 1 ) we referred to experiments which 

 had been made by ). F. Jowitt of Bandarawela, Ceylon, in the cultivation 

 and distillation of Andropogon- (Cymbopogon-) grasses. The oils obtained 

 by Jowitt have since been examined at the Imperial Institute in London 

 by Samuel S. Pickles, the botanical origin of the corresponding grasses 

 being at the same time again carefully determined by Stapf. The result 

 of this examination 2 ), which was published at the end of last year, is 

 especially interesting because, in addition to the familiar citronella- and 

 lemongrass-oils, the oils from the wild mana grass 3 ) as well as from delft- 

 grass (p. 59), are here described for the first time. Up to the present 

 nothing was known concerning the properties of these oils. 



Of mana-grass., which probably constitutes the mother-plant of citronella- 

 grass, Stapf distinguishes two varieties: Cymbopogon Nardus var. Linncei 

 (typicus) and C. Nardus var. confertiflorus. In Ceylon the natives differentiate 

 still further, having a series of names for each slightly different plant 

 (compare the table on p. 50), but Stapf traces all these back to the two 

 varieties mentioned. The oils of these two grasses have no attributes 

 which are characteristic for each particular variety; on the contrary, in 

 both cases the same range of differences in yield and properties of the 

 oils distilled at different times is observable, and this is probably correlated 

 to the mode of cultivation and manuring, as well as to the season when 

 the oil was distilled. 



The yields varied from 0,06 to 0,45 °/o; they were at their lowest in 

 grass distilled in May, the succeeding months, generally speaking, producing 

 a larger yield. All the oils ranged in colour from bright to deep yellow 

 and with few exceptions they had an agreeable citronella -like odour, 

 although mostly a little acrid. They gave a clear solution with 1 to 1,4 vols. 

 of80°/o alcohol. When 10 volumes of the solvent was added the solution 

 showed a more or less marked opalescence, and in two cases a slight 

 turbidity; only in one instance (No. 14) did the solution remain clear even 

 when diluted. In addition to the total-geraniol content (geraniol + citronellal), 



i) Report October 1909, 42. 



2 ) Cymbopogon Grass Oils in Ceylon. Circulars and Agricultural Journal of the Royal 

 Botanic Gardens, Ceylon. Vol. V, No. 12, November 1910, 145. Also Comp. Bull. Imp. Inst. 

 8 (1910), 144. 



3 ) Comp. Report April 1907, 32, 33. Also see Report October 1909, 42. 



