- 56 - 



by the well-known reactions with chloride of mercury, and chloride 

 of platinum. The presence of dimethyl sulphide in African oil was con- 

 firmed in a similar manner. 



Mr. J. H. Bur kill, of the Indian Museum, Calcutta, who had 

 already on a former occasion 1 ) been kind enough to send us oil 

 distilled from Cymbopogon Martini Stapf. (Andropogon Schoenanthus 

 Fliick. & Hanb., non L.) has again had the courtesy to forward us 

 nine similar oils, eight of which, upon closer examination, proved to 

 be palmarosa oils, while the ninth was an oil of gingergrass. The 

 oils specified in the subjoined table under nos. i to 5 are of special 

 interest because they were personally collected at the stills by Bur kill 

 in several parts of the Central Provinces and hence must be regarded 

 as unquestionably genuine samples. 







Distillates of 



Cymbopogon Martini Stapf. 







No. 



Ver- 

 nacular 

 name 



Origin, 

 Province 



di 5 o 



<XD 



nD20° 



Acid 

 no. 



Ester 

 no. 



Total 

 Geraniol 



Solubility 



in 70 p. c. 



alcohol 



I. 

 2. 

 3- 

 4- 



5- 

 6. 



7- 

 8. 



9- 



''Motia" 

 ,, 



,» 

 ,, 

 ,, 



"Sofia" 



Deogaon 



Behali 



Lebada 



Arnadi 



Balkhara 



Ellichpore 



,, 



,, 



0,8895 

 0,8891 

 0,8895 

 0,8889 



0,8924 



0,8896 



0,8911 

 0,8917 

 0,9024 



+ o°i6' 



+ o°i5' 

 + o°i 7 ' 

 + o°55' 

 + i°i8' 



-j-0°I2' 

 + 0° 12' 



-o° 53 ' 



+ 3° 54' 



1*47274 

 1,47313 

 1,47254 



1,47 264 



1,47313 

 1,47392 



1,47313 

 1,47470 



1,47 163 



1,8 



i,5 

 1,6 

 1,0 

 0,9 

 1,1 

 0,8 

 0,8 



2,3 



40,3 



34,7 

 38,4 

 39,4 

 38,9 

 12,4 

 40,0 

 17,3 

 15,0 



92,65 

 94,65 



93,4 

 93,9 

 92,0 

 90,9 

 93,9 

 87,9 

 89,5 



1.7 vol. 

 1,6 „ 

 i,7 ,, 



1.8 „ 

 i,7 „ 

 i,7 „ 

 i,7 „ 

 1,6 „ 

 i,7 ,, 



According to this table, all the "Motia" oils proved to be good 

 palmarosa oils of normal characteristics. Their geraniol content is very 

 high; in fact, it only falls below 90% in sample no. 8. The oils 

 differ to some slight degree from each other as regards odour, but 

 they nevertheless all possess a pure palmarosa character, and in this 

 respect also they answer all requirements, except sample no. 6, which 

 has a slightly musty odour. Sample no. 9, "Sofia" is a gingergrass oil 

 of exquisite quality, and therefore its composition differs entirely from 

 that of the "Motia" oils. As we have already on previous occasions 2 ) 

 reported in detail on this point, as well as on the botanical origin of 

 the "Motia" and "Sofia oils", a reference to these Reports will now suffice. 



Gurjun balsam Oil. A balsam sent to us under the designation 

 of Cochin Wood Oil was absolutely identical with ordinary gurjun balsam, 

 both as regards colour and odour, and as regards its constants. The 



x ) Report April 1907, 58. 



2 ) Reports April 1904, 56; October 1904, 52; April 1905, 55; April 1907, 30- 



