or II M 
MONTHLY. 
Vol. IX. 
COLOMBO, MARCH ist, 1890. 
[NO. 9. 
CITRONELLA GRASS AS A MANURE. 
~-i E suppose we may say of 
Oeylon that of two oils of 
very different quality (the 
second being essential oil), 
viz. coconut and citronella, 
this colony exports much 
larger quantities than any 
oL* Jlnouy or aoVtry in the world* The first 
is used in the manufacture of soap in Continental 
Europe ; the seoond mainly, we believe, for the scent- 
ing of fiue soaps. It is useful otherwise, as an antidote 
to fungus in book and insect cases, as a useful applica- 
tion in rheumatism and so forth. We greatly regret 
to see it stated that some exporters of this fine oil 
adulterate it with kerosene. Mr. Cochran has been 
testing the residuum after distillation for manurial 
properties, and has kindly submitted the results for 
publication, thus : — 
" Citronella grass, after the oil has been extracted 
from it by distillation, is used, both as a feediug 
material for oattle, and also, after it has been allowed 
time to decay, as a manure. It might be interest- 
ing to analyse the steamed grass as a feeding mate- 
iral, as I understand that, although cattle refuse to 
eat the grass in its natural state, even calves will 
eat it, after it has been mollified by the thorough 
steaming or boiling it gets in the process of oil 
extraction. It might also be interesting to analyse 
the steamed grass as a paper-maker's material, as, 
should id ever become a marketable commodity on 
account of its cellulose, the steaming process might 
be regarded as a stop in the preparation. Meanwhile^ 
I am able to give you an analysis as a manure of the 
steamed and decayed grass. 
per cent. 
82'68 
17 32 
Moistui'o expelled at 212° t. 
Dry matter 
ioo-oo 
* The exports in 1888-89 were :— Coconut oil, 
cwt. 327,430; citronella, 10,080,982 oz. The manurial 
value of the lemun-scented grass, so largely cultivated 
near Matara, is doubtless great.y increased after having 
passed as food through animals, 
84-09 
The dry matter had the following composition :— 
per cent. 
* Organic matter 
Ash consisting of 
Silica . ., 
Oxide of Iron and alumina 
** Phosphoric acid 
Lime 
Potash 
Other constituents 
12-39 
00-97 
00-30 
00-G1 
00-09 
00-74 
15-01 
100-00 
* Containing Nitrogen 2-24 
Equal to Ammonia 2-71 
** Equal to tribasic phosphate of lime 0-65 
It is evident that the manurial value of this 
9 ubstanceis small. The nitrogen is the chief element 
of value present ; of which the dry matter contains 
somewhat less than three-fourths of the amount in 
coconut poonac ; whereas the manure in its wet state 
contains only about two-thirda as much nitrogen as 
farm yard manure. Of the mineral ingredients by 
far the most abundant is silica, which constitutes 
82 per cent of the abh, or 12 39 per cent of the dry 
rnatUr. _ It is possible that as a mannre for sugar- 
cane this silica may have a dislinct value, as being, 
do doubt, more easily assimilated than the sand of 
the soil. The silica would ; be a drawback to the grasa 
as a source of cellulose, a3 it would necessitate a 
greater expenditure of the caustic alkali to dissolve 
it out; but, on the other hand, analysis might show 
that the steamed grass contained a correspondingly 
lower amount of pectous substances than other grasses 
used by paper-makers, and, in consequence, le«a 
caustic alkali would be required to dissolve out the 
same. The ash contained an appreciable amount of 
lime and phosphoric acid, but a mere trace of potash. 
M. Coceban. 
CEYLON TJPCOUNTRY PLANTING REPORT : 
A SIGN OF THE TIMES THE MOORMAN AND CINCHONA 
— "TEA CULTURE AND PREPARATION IN CEYLON 1 ' 
— COOLIES AND KANQANIES — THE LATE DRY WEATHER. 
Feb. 4th. 
Is it a sign of the times that the Moorman ia 
out inquiring about cinchona ? We all believe 
that there will be a rise in price by-and by, but 
how that unit sticks ! There is the information 
from London by last mail that the consumption of 
quinine is very great everywhere owing to the 
" influenza epidemic," and that there have been 
large sales of quinine : while on this side we 
show rapidly diminishing exports ; hear of the 
ravages of canker ; and know that there is nothing 
being planted here to take the place of the 
dying trees. Yet in the face of all this you 
find the price of bark quoted locally from 
7 to 11 cents, which has been a steady rate for 
goodness knows how long. Of oourse, there is as 
I say the Moorman beginning to inquire, but that 
does not amount to muoh yet ; all that he doe s 
