142 



Many years ago a trap for insects was used at Cale- 

 donia estate. It consisted of trays or shallow basins con- 

 taining molasses above which stood a lamp. On examining 

 the contents of the trays I observed that some were quite 

 full of Bra&hytrupes which flying to the light had fallen 

 into the molasses and were caught. A sheet of glass put 

 erect across a pan of this kind adds to the catch of inserts 

 as they strike the glass and fall into the Molasses. This 

 plan might be used effectively as an adjunct to searching 

 for the holes, and is easier and not dangerous as the Carbon 

 bisulphide certainlv is. 



Ed. 



REPORT ON A SAMPLE OF CITRONELLA OIL. 



It is not often that analysis of agricultural products 

 are published in the Agricultural Bulletin unless these have 

 been carried out at home and perhaps published previously 

 in other journals. I thought the following might therefore 

 be of interest to planters and others who were interested in 

 growing catchcrops among rubber, etc. and so encouraging 

 another if small agricultural industry. 



COMPOSITION OF CITRONELLA OIL. 



The most important odoriferous constituent of Citro- 

 nella oil is an aldehyde known as Citronellal. The second 

 important constituent is an alcohol known as Geraniol. It 

 is to these two constituents that the oil ows its value. 



The proportions of these constituents vary somewhat 

 in different samples and the difference between Ceylon 

 oils and Java oils is considerable, the former containing 

 about 60 per cent of geraniol and citronellal, and the latter 

 up to 90 per cent of these constituents. 



The oil from the Federated Malay States resembles 

 the Java oil of commerce which is superior to the Ceylon 

 oil. 



COMPOSITION OF SAMPLE. 



The sample examined in the laboratory yielded the 

 following results, shewing its similarity to the Java oil 

 of commerce. 



The oil was of a pale yellow T colour and possesses the 

 fragrant odour characteristic of this oil. 



It was clear and free from water and had been careful- 

 ly prepared. 



