572 



OLEAGINOUS PLAifTS. 



they consume a good deal of the petals for the conserve of roses, or goolcond 

 as they call it. 



The roses of Ghazipoor, on the river Granges, are cultivated in enormous 

 fields of hundreds of acres. The delightful odor from these fields can he scented 

 at seven miles distance on the river. The valuable article of commerce knoTvn 

 as attar of roses is made here in the folio-wing manner : — On 40 pounds of roses 

 are poiu-ed 60 pounds of water, and they are then distilled over a slow fire, 

 and 30 pounds of rose water obtained. This rose water is then poured over 

 40 pounds of fresh roses, and from that is distilled at most 20 pounds of rose 

 water ; this is then exposed to the cold night air, and in the morning a small 

 quantity of oil is found on the surface. From 80 pounds of roses, about 

 200,000, at the utmost an ounce and a-half of oil is obtained ; and even at 

 Ghazipoor it costs 40 rupees (4/.) an ounce. 



Five guineas have been often paid for one ounce of attar of roses. The most 

 approved mode of ascertaining its quality is to drop it on a piece of paper ; its 

 strength is ascertained by the quickness with which it evaporates, and its worth 

 by its lea"\ang no stains on the paper. The best otto is manufactured at Con- 

 stantinople. 



A volatile oil, erroneously called oil of spikenard, is met with 

 in the shops, which is obtained from a plant which has been named 

 bj Dr. Eojle, the Aoidropogoii Calamus aromaticus. 



The true spikenard of the ancients is supposed to have been 

 obtained from the Nardostachys Jatamansi, a plant of the Valerian 

 famil}^ Dr. Stenhouse describes rather minutely (" Journal 

 Pharm. Soc." vol. iv. p. 276) a species of East India grass oil, 

 said to be the produce of Andropogon Ivaracusa^ which he believes 

 to be what is usually called the oil of Namur. It has a very 

 fragrant aromatic odor, shgbtly resembling that of otto of roses, 

 but not nearly so rich. Its taste is sharp and agreeable, approach- 

 ing that of oil of lemons. It has a deep yellow color, and contains 

 a good deal of resinous matter. 



Le:mo]S" grass {Andropogon sclioenantlius) . — This fragrant 

 grass, which is now cultivated very generally throughout the 

 West Indies, in the gardens of the planters, as an elegant and 

 powerful diaphoratic, was doubtless introduced from the East. 

 The active principle of the leaves seems to reside in the essential 

 oil which they contain. Lemon grass oil forms an important 

 article of export from Cej^on, amounting in value to nearly 

 £7,000 annuaUy. 



The Andropogon sclioenantlius, which may be seen covering ail 

 the Kandian hills, is the best possible pasture for cattle — at 

 least as long as it is young. This species of grass is very hard, 

 and grows to the height of seven feet, and sometimes higher, and 

 has a strong but extremely pleasant acid taste. It derives its 

 name from having, when crushed, an odor like that of the lemon, 

 so strong, that after a time it becomes quite heavy and sickeniug, 

 although grateful and refreshing at first. It covers the hills in 

 patches — those, at least, that are not overgrown with jungle and 

 underwood — and it is to be found nowhere but in the Kandian 

 district. Spontaneous ignition frequeutly takes place, and the 

 appearance of the burning grass is described as most magnificent. 

 A few days after, from the midst of this parched, blackened, 

 and apparently dead ground, lovely youug green shoots begin to 



