Oils and Pais. 



282 



every 1.000,000 lb. exported from Ceylon, and last year we exported 1,162,876 lb., 

 the value is raised by over £8,000. I consider this the most important 

 result which has occurred up to the present from the investigation, and 

 there is good reason to hope that a still higher figure will be obtained for 

 the refined oil which is about to be prepared at Peradeniya and despatched 

 to the London market. 



In the face of these facts, it seems unnecessary to urge that the practice 

 of adulterating the oil in Ceylon should be voluntarily stopped, as it is in 

 the interests of the producers to build up a good name and to iucrease their 

 profits. It is to be hoped that the results which have been very briefly out- 

 lined today will give a stimulus to those engaged in an industry which may 

 yet be made profitable. Certainly, all cultivators of citronella can rely on our 

 efforts being continued until the Ceylon oil has its old and good name again 

 recognised on the markets abroad ; it is an industry which we can now con- 

 fidently hope to improve and is well worthy of attention since it provides 

 suitable employment for a large number of the native population in many parts 

 of the island. 



We shall adopt the London suggestions and in a short time we may be 

 able to report a satisfactory basis for producers in Ceylon and purchasers in 

 Europe and America. 



LONDON REPORT ON CEYLON CITRONELLA AND LEMON GRASS OILS. 



I have recently had submitted to me samples of citronella and lemon grass 

 oils which were distilled, at the instigation of the Ceylon Government, at the 

 Government Experiment Station at Peradeniya. Citronella oil has been subjected 

 to such gross adulteration in past years that the trade in it has fluctuated consider- 

 ably, and with a view to improving this condition of affairs the Government has 

 had these two shipments of oil prepared from reliable material in such a way as 

 to preclude any adulteration whatever. The oils have been offered in London, 

 with the object of finding the price obtainable for a perfectly genuine article, 

 and as a guide to future operations in Ceylon. 



CITRONELLA OIL. 



The sample of this which I received was of a dark orange color, and judged 

 by its odor alone it would find a ready market. On submission to analysis it yielded 

 the following factors : — 



Specific gravity @ 15'5 deg. C... ... ... 0'881 



Optical rotation ... ... ... ... — 3*3 



Citronellal ... ... ... ... 36 per cent. 



Geraniol ... ... ... ... ... 41 per cent. 



Schimmel's test ... ... ... ... Turbid solution. 



The oil was fractionated under reduced pressure, and the fractions and 

 residue were proved to be free from mineral oils and fatty matter. As the citronella 

 oils sold on the London market are usually guaranteed to pass " Schimmel's test," 

 and all the largest buyers in this country and America specify that test in their 

 contracts, this individual oil would be unlikely to find a purchaser who would not 

 demur, or ask for an allowance, on account of the turbidity mentioned above. 

 As this difficulty has been noticed betore with other genuine oils, the retaining 

 of Schimmel's test as a criterion of purity, by buyers and sellers, seems undesirable- 

 The test is designed to detect adulteration with kerosene, and does not discriminate 

 between good and bad oils which may happen to be pure. The value of the oil 

 depends entirely on the proportions of the odorous bodies geraniol and citronellal 

 present, and the basis for sale or contracts should certainly be a determination 



