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Mana grass, genuine citronella grass C. Nardus Rendle, also grows wild 

 in Ceylon. Hence the surmise expressed by Stapf and referred to 

 above appears to him of doubtful correctness. C Nardus Rendle, 

 which occurs in a wild state, is identical with the so-called "old 

 citronella grass" (Winter's grass, Maha Pengiri) and forms a species 

 distinct from Mana grass. It is possible that a third variety, known 

 as Lenabatu grass, has resulted from hybridisation of citronella and 

 Mana grasses. In these circumstances Jowitt considers it advisable to 

 designate the Maha Pengiri variety as a separate species under the 

 name of Cymbopogon Winterianus . In this case the name C. Nardus 

 Rendle should be applied only to the Lenabatu grass. We refer to 

 the original article for further details showing the reasons adduced 

 by Jowitt in support of his views. This article may also specially 

 interest many readers, because in it Jowitt gives a detailed botanical 

 description both of the Mana and Maha Pengiri grasses. It may suffice 

 if we refer to the derivation of the word Maha Pangiri (Maha Pengiri). 

 Maha means "large" and Pangiri indicates the oil vapour which occurs 

 when orange or lemon peel is pressed. 



Another publication by the same author 1 ) relates to experiments 

 made by him, at the instigation of the Agricultural Society of Ceylon, 

 in the cultivation of Andropogon grasses in the Patanas (open plains) of 

 Ceylon, at an elevation of 4500 ft. In these experiments he employed 

 the different varieties of citronella grass (Mana, Mana Pengiri, and 

 Lenabatu), also lemon-grass {Cymbopogon flexuosus Stapf and C citratns 

 Stapf), as well as palmarosa and vetiver (khus-khus) grass and Cymbo- 

 pogon polyneuros. Owing to the change in climatic conditions due to 

 the high altitude C citratus was altogether a failure, and the greater 

 part of the remaining grasses also flourished but poorly, the soil being 

 insufficiently rich for the proper development of the plants. Better results 

 were obtained after the use of natural and artificial manure, most of 

 the grasses either requiring the application thereof before they showed 

 any proper development, or the oil being improved both qualitatively 

 as well as quantitatively by the manuring of the plants. The latter 

 result, for instance, was observed by Jowitt in the case of Mana grass, 

 which in the green state only contained traces, and after drying slightly 

 larger proportions, of oil of an unpleasant odour. Artificial fertilizing 

 caused a noticeable increase in the oil yield, and the oil moreover 

 acquired a much improved odour, although one altogether differing 

 from that of citronella oil. 



*) Oil-yielding grasses grown at Craig, Bandarawela, elevation 4500 ft. Circulars 

 and Agricultural Journal of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Ceylon. Vol. IV, No. 14, 

 December 1908, p. 109. 



