23 



OILS AND FATS. 



CEYLON CITRONELLA OIL IN 1905. 



During the last six months the prices have only fallen away very slightly, 

 and not for spot, but for autumn shipments. Prompt oil is in great request 

 and fetches full prices. The total shipments from Ceylon during the period 

 from 1st January to 31st July of this year amounted to 682,443 lbs., and are 

 distributed over the different countries as follows :— 



United Kingdom 

 America 

 Germany 

 Australia 

 China 

 India 

 France 



Total... 682,443 lbs. 



a figure for seven months, from which it may be concluded that the quantity 

 exported in 1905 will exceed that of the previous year ; the consumption of 

 this perfume is still growing. 



The Report of 1904 of the Royal Botanical Garden of Ceylon contains 

 very interesting information on the experiments made in planting citronella of 

 the Maha-pangiri variety. From an area of one acre planted in July, 1902, the 

 following crops have been gathered :— 



In March, 1904, 10,809£ lbs. yield of oil about 48 lbs. 

 In August, 1904, 8,511 „ do do 36 „ 



Total in 1904, 19,310£ lbs. yield of oil about 84 lbs. 



This shows that exactly 230 lbs. of grass yielded 1 lb., of pure citron- 

 ella oil. A further crop from the same acre will be harvested in January, 

 1905. Another plantation produced within six months 16,083 lbs. grass per acre, 

 with 60 lbs. yield of oil ; a third, planted in June, produced in December 

 9,765 lbs. fresh grass yielding 49£ lbs., of oil per acre. It is clear from these 

 figures that the citronella cultivation, in view of the low value of the ground 

 and the cheap labour in Ceylon, cannot be so unremunerative as it is frequently 

 represented to be, the more so, as the value of the oil appears to become per- 

 manently firmer. 



Judging from the citronella oils which have been examined in our 

 laboratory, it seems that the coarser adulterations of the oils with petroleum 

 are now discontinued in Ceylon ; at least, we have no longer been compelled 

 to reject oils on account of deficient solubility in 80 per cent, alcohol (Schimmel's 

 test). On the other hand, there was a large number of oils which did not pass 

 Schimmel's raised test. The latter, as is well known, requires that citronella 

 oil after 5 % Russian petroleum is added, shall show nearly the same solubility 

 as the pure oil; especially, after diluting one volume of the oil mixed with 

 petroleum with ten volumes 80 per cent, alcohol, no separation of small drops 

 of oil shall be noticeable. The oils which did not pass this raised test were also 

 almost throughout inferior on account of their low geraniol-content, which was 

 found down to 51, 6 % 



249,490 lbs, 



320,908 „ 



54,555 ,, 



41,600 „ 



8,836 „ 



1,334 „ 



5,720 „ 



