336 



in writing this I have drawn to a large extent on the best work 

 on the subject, Sawer's Odorographia, which gives a full account 

 of the plants used in perfumery and the methods of extracting the 

 perfumes. The following is a list of essential oil-producing plants 

 from our region. It of course does not include the heavy oils such 

 as that of coco-nut, castor oil or tilseed, which belong to an en- 

 tirely different class of oils: — 



Ferns. — The large elephant fern Angiopteris evecta, common 

 in our woods is said by Maiden (Useful Native plants of Australia) 

 to supply an aromatic oil used in the South Sea Islands for scent- 

 ing coco-nut oil. 



Polypodiu phymatodes, L. — One of our commonest ferns oc- 

 curring on trees and on the ground in open country especially 

 near the sea, is also said to be used in the same way. This fern 

 dried gives out a scent of new-mown hay, and is used here for 

 scenting clothes. A quantity sent to Dr. GRESHOFF was examined 

 by him and reported to contain Coumarin, the aromatic principle 

 of the Tonkin Bean. 



Pandanaceas. — The flowers of Pandanus fascicularis, Lam. (P. 

 odoratissimus, L.) are used for a scent in India, being macerated in 

 til-seed oil. They have a very strong and powerful odour. The 

 plant is very common along our sea coasts and often planted 

 in villages, where the leaves are used for making mats. The 

 leaves of Pandanus laevis, Rumph. " Panda n Jelinkeh" are used 

 often for scent by Malays. They have a fruit and peculiar odour 

 and are used cut up fine with rose water and scraped sandalwood 

 to make a kind of pot-pourri used at marriages. They are also 

 boiled with rice in order to give it a scent. 



Grass-oils. — Lemon grass-oil, from Andropogon citratus, Dc, has 

 long been manufactured in Singapore, but now chiefly comes from 

 Travaneore. The grass is grown in damn hVlds in rich soil, 

 planted in small tufts, it grows very rapidly and soon covers the 

 ground. The oil is derived from the leaves which are cut in large 

 bundles and put into the still. It is used in native medicine and 

 a little of the grass is often put into native curries, but its greatest 

 use is in making scented soaps. Perhaps more might be done with 

 this manufacture in the Peninsula than is done at present. 



Citronella oil is produced by Andropogon nardus which is culti- 

 vated largely in Ceylon as well as in Singapore, India and Java; 

 it also occurs in Fast tropical Africa. It is planted in much the 

 same way as the preceding grass, and distilled in the same way. 

 There are two varieties cultivated in Ceylon, one of which is the 

 Straits Settlements plant. This latter is said to produce the best 

 oil. The amount of oil produced in Ceylon is very large, the 

 export in 1899 being quoted at 1,478.756 lbs 



In the Ceylon Gardens Report for 1901, the Director says "The 

 export of citronella oil has increased from 1,409,058 to 1,430,168 

 lbs., but has not yet reached the figures of 1899. The industry is 

 in a very depressed state owing to over-production and adul- 

 teration, the latter being so bad that even good local oils do not 

 obtain the value that is really due them. Prices have reached a 



