November 2, 1891.1 THE TROPICAL AOniCtJl-TUniST. 
347 
immediately followed by a strong odour of lemon or 
citron. By rectification it is rendered ijerfectly 
colourless, and the odour of lemon is less marked. 
It is exported from Bombay to the Red Sea ports 
(chiefly to Jeddah), to Constaniinople, Trieste, and 
London. Before being sent to Turkey, which absorbs 
the great bulk of it, large quantities are sent to Paris 
for rectification. In Turkey it is subjected to special 
treatment, which appears to render it more fit to mix 
with otto of rose without betraying its odour. This 
consists in shaking it with water acidulated with lemon 
juice, and then exposing it to the sun and air. By 
this process it loses its penetrating after-smell, and 
acquires a pale-straw colour. This process was de- 
scribed by Mr. Baur, of Constantinople. j^yV As found 
on the London market, it varies greatly in quality. A 
distinction is often made commercially between oil of 
PalmaRosa and essence of Indian geranium, although 
botli are identical products of the same plant. Tlae 
first is probably only a superior quality, or contains 
a small addition of oil of pelargonium. 
For some years past an essence of geranium has 
been received from Java, possessing all the characters 
of Palina Rosa, but its exact botanical origin and 
method of production are unknown. 
An oil termed " Huile Essentielle de Pataqiie Mal- 
gache " has been introduced from the island of 
Reunion, described as distilled from Aiidroiiof/oii fra- 
ffrwu'i, with an odour identical with Indian ginger- 
grass oil. fl-J 
Dr. Blondel, in his elaborate work on " the odorous 
principle of the rose," (I J states that the oil known 
as essence of geranium (and it ma.y be remarked, in 
passing, that he wrongly attributes this oil to the 
A. schainanthiis, ot Wallich) is largely adulterated in 
India, in the districts where it is distilled, frequently 
to the extent of 20 per cent., with the oils of gurjun 
and coker-nut, and that on its arrival in Europe it is 
submitted to another adulteration with turpentine. 
Dr. Dymook states that he has been assured by the 
Bombay dealers that all the geranium oil of commerce 
is more or less adulterated, and a comparison of the 
commercial article with some oil distilled by himself 
supported the assertion. The distillers are said to 
be regularly supplied with turpentine from Bombay. 
It appears that the Kandesh Rushr oil is also adulter- 
ated with ground-nut, rape, and linseed oils. With 
turpentine and ground-nut the resulting turpidity 
passes off in a day or two ; hence they are preferred, 
and turpentine is chiefly used because it cannot be 
detected by the evaporation test. Consequently I 
aver that whatever tests be applied to otto of rose, 
in presence of such wholesale adulteration of its main 
adidterauts, it is hardly possible to put reliance on such 
tests. The difficulty of obtaining the otto pure is still 
increased by the chance of its being even further 
manipulated in Paris, or in London, with sandal- wood 
oil, cedar- wood oil, castor oil, stearoptene, and alcohol. 
The addition of geranium oil to otto of rose was 
formerly only made in Constantinople, but now the 
mixing takes place at the seat of the manufacture 
of the otto. It is said that in many places the roses 
arc sprinkled with it before being placed in the still. 
This probably makes a more perfect " blend." 
Although the introduction of geranium oil into 
Bulgaria is now forbidden by the Government, it is 
still brought in secretly by Jews and Greeks. 
If any large dealer or wholesale merchant in 
London were to establish a rose-farm and good stills 
in a locality untainted with this Eastern fraud (and 
Buch localities might be found near Damascus, or in 
Tunis, where the climate and soil are eminently 
suitable to the growth of the rose), it is possible 
that under competent and honest English manage- 
ment, a business could be constructed which would 
result in largo profit. I am not aware that such has 
been attempted or suggested yet. 
A perfectly pure otto of rose should congeal in ten 
minutes, at a temperature of 14° to 16° R. The oil 
of ginger-grass does not solidify by cold, hence the 
Turkish niercliants prefer an otto from mountainous 
j liaur's X( iifs .Tnlirhiu-h fio- Phariii., Jan. 1SG7. 
k MiiiiiincI <(■■ ( 'o.'.i Uijiort for Orl. INS9. 
I Blondol's Lcs rrodtiiis Odorant^ rfcs lioiiicris. 188'J. 
districts, rich in stereoptene, and, therefore, capable 
of bearing a larger amount of adulterant without 
interfering with its tendency to crystallise when the 
sample is placed in cold water. Mr. Baur's paper, 
above referred to, details these methods of testing the 
otto. 
Medicinally, this oil is used as a liniment in chro- 
nic rheumatism and neuralgia, and it is believed to 
have the property of curing baldness. 
5. Camel-grass. — This aromatic grass seems to be 
very little known in England by name, and its 
essential oil does not appear to be known at all. 
Botanically it is Andropof/on Lanigerum of Desfontaines. 
It is identical with Fnmmi cavielorum and Junctis 
odoratus. It has been termed Ci/mhonogon Lanif/er, and 
it partly agrees with Roxburgh's description of A. 
Iirarancwa. It has long been known to pharmacista 
in the Bast as Herha xchwiiantkus, and is figured by 
Pomet in his "Histoire des Drogues" aa 
" squenanthe."(^)Hj 
In Bengal it is known as " Ibharankusha," in the 
North-Western Provinces (amongst other names) as 
" Ganguli-ban." The name in Bombay and Arabia 
(for tlie culms of the plant, with or without a portion 
of the root) is " Izkhir." This name, as given in the 
best lexicons, is derived from the same Arabic root 
which furnishes the derivative " Zakhira," a common 
term in India for stored-up forage &c. The name 
Ficnum caindorum signifies its use as a forage for 
camels. It is a native of Arabia, growing plentifully 
in the desert and in the hot, arid regions of Algeria. 
The Arabians call it " Helsi Meccavi" and "Idhir 
Mecchi." It is said that in the deserts between Syria 
and Egypt it is the only grass eaten by camels. This 
plant has a wide distribution, but is not cultivated. 
It is found growing on the lower Himalayan tracts 
and in Thibet at an altitude of 11,000 feet, extending 
through the plains of the North- West Provinces to 
Sind. Roxburgh says it grows in large tufts, each 
tuft composed of a number of plants adhering together 
by the roots. This description corresponds with 
Pomet's figure alluded to above. It is common about 
Kurrachee, and is used as a perfume by the natives. 
Lemery, commenting on Pomet, says that this 
" FcEiium camdorum is a kind of fragrant rush, or grass, 
growing plentifully in Arabia Felix at the foot of 
Mount Libanus, where it serves for fodder and 
litter for the camels. The stalk is about a foot high, 
divided into several hard stems, of the size, figure, 
and colour of barley-straw, being much smaller towards 
the top. The leaves are about half a foot long, nar- 
row, rough, pointed, of a pale green colour. Tho 
flowers growing on the top are ranged in double 
order, small, hairy, or a carnation colour 
all the plant, and particularly the flower, is of a strong 
smell and bitter taste." This plant is also figured in 
Plukenett's " Phytographia," 1691, tab. 109, fig. 1. 
"Algerian Gee.4.nium Oil" is derived from three 
species of Felarrionitim : — The P. odoratinsimum (Willde- 
now) (n) ; the P. capitafwu (Alton) foj ; and/-", roseum, 
(Willdenow fpj — avariety of P. rnrfu/n, (Alton), (q). 
These plants are cultivated in open fields in many 
parts of Algeria — notably at La Trappe de Staoueli, 
near the Bay of Sidi Ferruch, at Castiglione, at Sahel, 
in the good red soil consisting of a decomposition of 
micaceous schists, (r) at Boufarik, at Blidah, at 
Grand Cherakas and at Guyoville, in the environs of 
Constantine, and in the plains of Metidja, close 
to Algiers. The average production of Algeria is 
about 6,000 kilos ; the price per kilo, varies from 45f. 
to 60f , according to quality and yield. Originally 
the plants were cultivated on dry, arid slopes, where 
they were stunted in growth, but yielded a perfume of 
great delicacy. Now, on the contrary, the plantations 
are established on low-lying and rather humid soil, 
which yields three crops annually instead of one. 
By a system of irrigation which flood the plantations, 
the proprietors force the growth of the plant to a 
)/( Pomet's Hist, des Drogues 169-1, p. 
/( Cavanilles's Monadelphiee Dis., iv. t. 103, fig. 1. 
0 Andrews's ( 'olonrcd Kiigs. of Geraniums. 
p J'otauists' /t'ejmitori/, IIH. ' 
(J Botanieed Mag., t. 95. 
r Frp, dc Paris iy7H, Cat, l^pCc. dc I'Alffine, 
