- 58 - 



from Cochin to Bombay and the various foreign ports, such as 

 New York, Hamburg and London. 



The export of essential oils (among which chiefly lemongrass oil) 

 from Madras was from 1896 to 1906 as follows: — 



1896/1897 



5324 



gallons, 



value 



79,081 rupees 



1897/1898 



6292 



,, 



,, 



1,33775 » 



1898/1899 



4278 



,, 



,, 



89,745 » 



1899/1900 



6280 



?) 



,, 



1,29,701 



1901/1902 



589 



,, 



?j 



27,376 „ 



1902/1903 



6258 



», 



,, 



2,42,319 » 



1903/1904 



3889 



„ 



jj 



1,60,505 



I 904/ I 905 



2 721 



,, 



>, 



1,41,489 „ 



1905/1906 



2675 



>, 



,, 



i,54»i4i 



Hooper gives no particulars for 1 900/1 901. 



As already mentioned in discussing Stapf's monograph on oil 

 grasses 1 ), opinions differ greatly as to whether the two rusa grasses 

 "motia" and "sofia" are different varieties, or one and the same plant 

 in different stages of maturity. We are now in a position to supply 

 a further contribution to this topic, from which it will be seen to 

 what extent the existing views on the two grasses contradict each 

 other, and what difficulties a solution of the question presents. 



We had, namely, sent to us a short time ago by some business 

 friends three species of rusa grasses, which were designated as "motiya", 

 "motiya ellich", and "sonfiya", with the remark that from these the 

 real palmarosa oil is distilled. 



We were at the same time informed that it had been impossible 

 to obtain also specimens of the plant which yields ginger grass oil. 

 Here, therefore, "sofia" is also mentioned explicitly as the mother- 

 plant of palmarosa oil. 



On the other hand, we are indebted to the kindness of J. H. Burkill, 

 Esq., of the Indian Museum of Calcutta, for a specimen each of 

 "sofia" and "motia" together with the essential oils belonging to them. 

 These plants originated from the Nimar district (Central Provinces 

 of British India). 



The examination of the oils now resulted in the interesting fact 

 that the oil distilled from "motia" was a palmarosa oil, and the 

 other one a ginger grass oil. Both distillates possess the odours 

 characteristic of the respective oils, and by these means could already 

 be easily distinguished from each other. 



Comp. the present Report, p. 30. 



