OCTOEtR I, 1891.] 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
273 
in tins or sometimea in huge cisterna, waigliing hsilf 
a ton. It waa in these largo packages that adulter- 
ation with petroleum had oniony been fouud. 
Mr. Mobs, roniarkod that it did not necessarily 
follow that the mode of manufaoturo waa altered, 
bocauao at the present time both green and colour- 
lesa citronella oil came into the market, the differ- 
ence being due to the different nature of the ap- 
paratus in which it w*aa produced. If this apparatus 
wore a very primitive one, a tub, a clay head, and 
a bamboo stem, tliere would be no trace of copper, 
but with a more modern still, if the copper wore 
not wall tinned inside, there might bo the green 
colour. 
The I’HESiDENTsaid ho waa rather suggesting that 
the petroleum might bo put into the still primarily to 
prevent oxidation or change during the process of 
distillation. 
if Mr. C. Umnev said his belief was that the 
petroleum was added beoauso it was cheap. 
Mr. BcTrnE said ho [had been rather struck with the 
statement in the paper that citronella oil with distinct 
traces of petroleum did not show the copper colour, 
and he might state the result of an experiment — 
accidentally made — which he witnessed at Dover on 
the previous day. A child was coming out of an 
oilshop with a wine bottle containing iibout a pint 
of petroleum oil, when, owing probably to the neck 
“ot having boon wiped, the bottle slipped from tlie 
child's fingers and was smashed on the pavement. 
At tliat niomont he was about twenty yards off, and 
by the time ho got to the spot, he found to his 
anrpriso that the petroleum oil was rapidly turning 
a greenish blue wherever it came into contact with 
the cement with which the pavement — blocks of 
patent Victoria atone, about two feet square — was 
laid ; it was evidently the cement and not the stone 
which waa giving tne colour. lie was inclined to 
think at first that this was an indication that the 
petroleum had been distilled in copper, and was 
rather surprised to hear Mr. Umuey’s remarks. 
When he returned lionie ho should take stops to as- 
certain tile composition of the cement in question. 
Mr. J. C. Dmney, in reply, said Mr. Moss had 
remarked that some commercial oil of citronella waa 
yellow, rather implying that it contained no copper 
and would not turn green; but he might say that he 
procured eight samples from different sources, out 
of which seven went grooii, tliough five of them 
Wore quite yellow at starting. He thought tlio reason 
that the light oil did not change colour was that 
It had been distilled by poor people, and that potro- 
loum had boon sddod, being cheaper, to increase 
the yield, ilieher people using more modern appli- 
ancea got a full yield and had no need to adulterate. 
Iho sp. gr. of the oil in jVmeriea was stated in a 
recent paper by a Mr Dodge to bo -877, which was 
rather a peculiar statement, and might account for 
some of the analyses. 
The PiiEsinENT then proposed a vote of thanks to 
Mr. Umnoy for the paper, referring to the fact that 
ue had been a pupil in the School of Pliarmacy 
and was then working in the Research Laboratory. 
■I ho vote was passed unanimously. 
The two samples which were in the full bottles 
remained unchanged in colour for the mouth whilst 
under observation, but of those in the partly filled bot- 
tles the one exposed to light had become green, and 
the one in darkness also, though not to quite the same 
extent. An elevation of temperature waa aftcrw'arda 
fouud to accelerate the change. 
Tile other sample was next operated upon. A por- 
tion was distilled from a fractionating flask and the 
distillate^ was sot aside in succeosive portions and 
exposed in partly full bottles. The first three por- 
tions of distillate did not change in colour, but the 
last one slowly acquired the green tint of the original. 
The small portion of rosidiio in the flask and the 
last distillate were both found to contain copper. 
The foregoing seem to indicate that the devciop- 
ment of the green colour in those samples containing 
copper is caiiaed not by the action of liglit, as assiimea 
W Mr. J. C. Umnoy, but by oxidation. — E. 11, Fakii, 
Dckfield . — Vharmactuiical Journal, April 18th. 
^ 
CROPS IN SOUTHERN INDIA. 
Season Teleouam to hie Qovebmbnt of India, 
Revenue and Aoriodltdhal Department, Simla. 
■Week ending 5th September. Rainfall good in Gan- 
jsm, Vizagspatain, Godavari, Kurnnol, AnaiPapur, Gud- 
dauah, South Causra and parts of Eistns, Nellore, Bel- 
Isry, North Arcot, Chingleput, South Arcot, Mslnbnr 
niid Nilgiris; Very little elsewhere. Rainfall to date 
very niuoh below average in all districts, except the 
three northern and the West Coost districts, Tinnevelly 
and Nilgiris. Prospect slightly improved in parts of 
Uhinglepnt and South Arcot, but more rain urgently 
wanted in a large number of districts, and agiicul- 
tural operations suspended in several. Water, pasture 
and fodder growing scarcer and cattle mortality in- 
creasing in affected areas. Prices rising in Godavari, 
Kurnool, Aiiantapur, Onddapah, North Aroot, South 
Arcot, Salem, Ooimbatore, Tanjore, Trioliinopoly and 
Madura ; falling slightly in Ganjsm, Vizsgpatam; 
Kistna, Bellsry, Madras, Nilgiris, South Canara and 
Xrnvanooro ; stationary in the teat. Coolies employed 
on works— 6,710 in Ohingloput, 0,721 in Wandiwaah, 
3,387 in Kalahssli, 6,065 in Ooimbatore, 8,P58 in Nel- 
lore, 1,707 in Ciiddapab, 415 in Malabar and 147 in 
Tinnevelly. Number fed at kitchens— 2,019, inoluding 
690 women and 1,142 children, in Chingleput ; 1,659, 
including 312 women and 1,190 children, in Wandi- 
WBSb ; 29, inoluding 14 womeu imd 13 children, in 
Ouddapah ; 2,084, including 458 women and 1,488 
children, in Kalahaati and 199 in Coimbatore, Loans 
granted from commenoemeut of distress Rnpooa 
2,88,441 in Ohingloput, 96,465 in Wsiidiwash, 18,027 
ill Cuddapoh, 1,280 in Nellare, 22,996 in Ooimbatore, 
19,820 m Tiunevolly. VVella constructed- 981 in 
Ohiugleput, 32 in Ooimbatore, 26 in Waudiwash, 25 
m Ouddspah nud 34 in Tinnevelly ; under construolion 
--1,926 m Ohingleput, 1,022 in Wiindiwash, 245 in Oud- 
dapab, RJ-l lu Coimbatore, 68 in Tinnevelly and 4 in 
Nellore- ■' 
Sir, 1 have perused witli much interest the paper 
on ‘ Commercial Oil of Oitroiiolla," read before the 
last eveningmeotmg tiy Mr. J. O. Unmey. Some years 
uico I had occaHion to conduct sonic experiments on 
citronella oil witii the same object in view, and as my 
rosu ts pointed in some respects to sliglitly different 
conclusions from those arrived at by Mr. J. C. Unmey 
It may be useful to record them now that the subiect 
IS under notice. 
Two samplos of oil were operated upon : one anew 
one from au original bottle, tlio other an old one 
ane former, waa pale yellow, whilst the latter was 
■ermetioally sealed were placed, one in sunlight the 
au8 ‘^“’I'ltness. Two otlier bottles were half filled 
Dvi» efoppors removed daily after well shaking- 
wnl L J'V “itposod to sunlight wbilst the other 
was kept m doa-kposs 
35 
INDIA. 
The authorities at Kew, in conjunction with (he Uov- 
ernment of India have devised a scheme for the 
orgamsfltion of a botanical survey of ludia, end tho 
welding of the soattert d departments into a fodera- 
Uon with the Calontta Botanic Gardena os tho centre. 
Tho details of^tho sobemo are given in tho current 
number of A'afare, from which we condense the 
following particuinre, noting, by tho way, that this 
is only another illustration of tho general principle 
npon which tlie Director of tho Royal Garden", Kew 
is ivorkiug to stouro n regulary organised Botanical 
Di'pariment for the whole empire. Varied in detail 
according to eiroumstancca and requirements 
which the stuff shall be so selected, that any man 
who enters may rise by suooessivo steps lo the hiirheV 
position. ^ 
