Oils and Fats. 



116 



[Feb. 1908. 



3. When in Java, after considerable 

 trouble, I obtained about 300 cuttings of 

 the true Java grass, which apparently 

 differed somewhat from the Ceylon 

 maha pengiri in method of growth. Most 

 of these were sent to Peradeniya, but 

 I found on enquiry only one plant 

 had survived though most of the cuttings 

 started to grow. 



4. I also obtained the Singapore variety 

 (apparently maha pengiri), and am 

 trying to raise sufficient plants from 

 these for an experimental distillation. 



5. As I pointed out in my report of 

 21st November, 1U06, and frequently 

 before, Schimmel's test does not always 

 give reliable results, and that pure Lena 

 batu oil as distilled in Ceylon frequently 

 fails to pass the test. And any admix- 

 ture of lemon grass oil makes it worse. 

 A good well-distilled maha pengiri oil 

 will pass the test, but even with this 

 grass, if the distillation is too prolonged, 

 it sometimes fails to pass, and careful 

 experiments in this connection showed 

 that while the first portion of the dis- 

 tillates with lower boiling point passed 

 the test, the final distillate gave as bad a 

 reaction as badly adulterated oil or pure 

 lemon grass oil. 



6. My own test is open to some 

 objections, as it is essential that it is 

 based on pure standards; it being 

 necessary to use either a few cubic 

 centimetres more of the 83 % alcohol, or 

 a stronger alcohol, when testing lena 

 batu oil than maha pengiri oil. 



7. The practice of adding spirit to the 

 oils also interferes with this as well as 

 Schimmel's test, and involves a separate 

 test, which could not well be done by 

 the inspector. 



8. I consider it essential that samples 

 of the pure oil be sent, and reliable valu- 

 ations obtained from importers, before 

 anything can be profitably done at this 

 end as regards fixing a test or standard, 

 for the reason given in my report. 



9. It might be advisable to bring the 

 matter before the next Board meeting, 

 and possibly some of the Galle merchants 

 would attend and give their views on 

 the matter. 



(Sgd.) M. Kelway B amber. 



Writing on the 24th December, 1907, 

 to the Secretary, Agricultural Society, 

 he further reported :— 



With reference to our recent con- 

 versation, I have again gone through the 

 papers connected with the Citronella 

 Oil Test, and would add the following 

 remarks to my previous reports: — 



a. The pure oils distilled by Mr. Jowitt 

 showed that even lena batu oil grown 



up-country, when carefully distilled, 

 passes Schimmel's test. Some of the 

 mana grass oils also passed the test indi- 

 cating that much depends on the method 

 of distillation and the kind of still 

 employed. 



b. The cost of improved stills that 

 would compete with those employed in 

 Java is prohibitive to the native distiller 

 of Ceylon. 



c. The question of the possibility 

 of erecting a Central Still in Galle for re- 

 distilling the oils as suggested in my 

 report has not been further gone into, 

 and is worth consideration. 



d. An alternative would be to have 

 better stills in various centres to which 

 all the grass could be carried on the 

 principle of Creameries employed in 

 large milking centres. Tliis would en- 

 tirely prevent the possibility of adulter- 

 ation, and would probably be better than 

 having a re-distilling plant in Galle. 



e. It is evident from Mr. Hayley's 

 letter of the 29th November, that the 

 firms interested iu the industry are 

 still very averse to any other test being 

 applied as indicated in my report to 

 Government dated 21st November, 1906. 



/. With regard to paras. 5 (a) and (o) 

 and the suggestions in para 15 of the 

 same report, I am proceeding to England 

 and the Continent, and will endeavour to 

 ascertain the views of importers as to 

 the question of a purer oil, and com- 

 municate with the Board. 



I am still strongly of opinion that some 

 method of preventing adulteration is 

 advisable to re-establish the good name 

 of Ceylon Citronella oil; but it is first 

 necessary to ascertain the opinions of 

 importers whether a purer oil is likely to 

 be successful from a. commercial point of 

 view ; and, secondly, to adopt better 

 methods of distillation so that the pro- 

 duct may be of the finest quality. 



(Sgd.) M. Kelway Bamber. 



In the meantime it was deemed advis- 

 able to ascertain the views of the chief 

 exporters, and in response to a Circular 

 the following letter was received from 

 Mr. Chas. P. Hayley :— 



Galle, 29th November, 1907. 

 The Secy., Ceylon Agricultural Society. 



Sir,— Iu reply to your letter of 15th 

 instant, I have the honour to inform you 

 that I laid it before the Galle Chamber 

 of Commerce at a meeting attended by 

 all the European firms interested iu 

 Citronella. 



It was unanimously agreed that the 

 test now made use of is sufficient for all 

 practical purposes— no new method is 

 required. 



