283 



Oils and Fats. 



of the amounts contained by an oil, and not an arbitrary test which, although 

 useful up to a certain point, gives no information as to quality. 



LEMON GRASS OIL. 



This sample was obtained from several parcels which were part of the same 

 shipment. It possessed an exceptionally fine odor, but was dark in color. On 

 analysis it yielded as follows :— 



Specific gravity @ 15 5 deg. C... ... ... 0'899 



Aldehyde contents (citral) ... ... ... 60*5 per cent. 



Optical rotation ... ... ... ... — - 2 



The oil would not yield a clear solution with 70, 80 or 90 per cent, alcohol 

 when one part was mixed with varying quantities of the alcohol up to ten parts, 

 but it made a clear mixture with an equal volume of absolute alcohol, which 

 became very turbid on the addition of more of the same solvent. As so much 

 lemongrass oil is judged by its solubility in 70 per cent, alcohol, it seemed desirable 

 to test for the presence of paraffin and fixed oils ; but fractional distillation in 

 vacuo did not yield any fraction or residue which could be considered abnormal. 

 Whether this oil will be able to compete with the East Indian oil by reason of its 

 finer odor remains to be seen, but the Government experiments show that pure 

 oils are different in some respects from those in commerce, and before the growers 

 can obtain a market for their products a satisfactory basis of selling and buying 

 must be established. — By C. Edward Sage, in Chemist and Druggist. 



The Ceylon Citronella Oil Industry. 



By A. Jayasuriya. 



The cultivation of citronella is a matter of the greatest interest and 

 importance to the inhabitants of the Southern Province, where about 40,000 acres of 

 land are covered by the plantations. Since it is an industry which supports a good 

 part of the rural population even at the present day it has been not inaptly termed 

 the "mainstay of the South." Some idea of the magnitude of the industry, as well 

 as its steady advancement, may be gathered from the export figures for the years 

 given below. There are no available figures before 1887. 



EXPORTS OF CITRONELLA OIL. 



Year. lbs. Year. lbs. 



1887 ... 551,706 1896 ... 1,132,141 



1888 ... 659,967 1897 ... 1,182,867 



1889 ... 641,465 1898 ... 1,365,917 



1890 ... 909,942 1899 ... 1,478,756 



1891 ... 603,974 1900 ... 1,409,058 



1892 ... 844,502 1901 ... 1,430,168 



1893 ... 668,520 1902 ... 1,294,750 



1894 ... 908,471 1903 ... 1,062,594 



1895 ... 1,182,255 1904 ... 1,156,646 



Although the industry has been carried on for about 66 years, its develop- 

 ment on an economic scientific basis has not been seriously attempted, owing to the 

 lack of knowledge in economic agriculture on the part of those interested in the 

 industry. Having appreciated the fact, several years ago, that the largest yield at 

 the lowest cost could only be obtained by following the teachings of science and the 

 results of practical experience, I devoted a certain amount of attention to the 

 scientific study of the industry as far as I was able. I may not be able to give a 

 definite explanation of certain phenomena observed in our practical experience, 

 though undoubtedly such do occur. If the results of our experience be in any way 



