November 2, 1891.I 
THE TROPICAL AtlRItJULTOmST 
347 
immediately followed by a strong odour of lemon or 
citron. By rectification it is rendered perfectly 
colourless, and the odour of lemon is less marked. 
It is exported from Bombay to the Bed Sea ports 
(chiefly to Jeddah), to Constaiiiinoplo, 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- 
Bcribedby ftfr.Baur, of Constantmople./^V As found 
on the London market, it varies greatly in quality. A 
distinction is often made commercially between oil of 
Palma Rosa and essence of Indian geranium, although 
both are identical products of the same plant. The 
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 .fava, possessing all the characters 
of Palma Rosa, but its exact botanical origin and 
method of production are unknown. 
An oil termed “ Iluilo Essontielle do Pataquo Mal- 
gache " has been introduced from the island of 
Reunion, described as distilled from Androporjoii fra- 
ijrans, with an odour identical with Indian ginger- 
grass oil. (k) 
Dr. Blondcl, in his elaborate work on “ the odorous 
principle of the iose,"(l) states that the oil known 
as essence of geranium (and it may be remarked, in 
passing, that he wrongly attributes this oil to tho 
A. arh(tuaiiHim, ot Wallich) is largely adulterated in 
India, in the districts whore it is distilled, frequently 
touie 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. Dymock states that ho has boon assured by tho 
Bombay dealers that all tho geranium oil of commerce 
is more or leas adulterated, and a comparison of the 
commercial article with some oil distilled by himself 
supported the assertion. The distillors are said to 
bo regularly supplied with tui’pontino from Bombay. 
It appears that the Kandesh Hushr oil is also adulter- 
ated with ground-nut, rape, and linseed oils. With 
turpentine and ground-nut tho resulting tnrpidity 
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 bo applied to otto of rose, 
in prosonco of such wholesale aiMleralion of its tnaiti 
ailwleniiifs, it is hardly possible to put reliance on such 
tests. Tho difficulty of obtaining tho otto pure is still 
increased by the chance of its being oven further 
manipulated in Paris, or in London, with sandal-wood 
oil, codar-wood oil, castor oil, stearopteno, and alcohol. 
Tho addition of geranium oil to otto of rose was 
formerly only made in Constantinople, but now tho 
mixing takes pla.c6 at the scat of tho manufacture 
of the otto. It is said that in many places the roses 
arc sprinkled with it before being placed in tho still. 
This probably makes a more perfect “ blend." 
Although the introduction of geranium oil into 
Bulgaria is now forbidden by tho Government, it is 
still brought in secretly by Jews and Greeks. 
If any large dealer or wholesale merchant in 
London wero to establish a rose-farm and good stills 
in a locality untainted with this Eastern fraud (and 
such localities might be found near Damascus, or in 
Tunis, where the climate and soil are eminently 
suitable to tho growth of tho rose), it is possible 
that under competent and honest English manage- 
ment, a business could bo 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 IfiOR. Tho oil 
of ginger-grass does not solidify by cold, hence tho 
Turkish merchants prefer an otto from mountainous 
.'/ Baur's Netws Jahrtnu'h fitr /'harm., Jan. IHfiV. 
k klchinunrl d Co,'s /irport for Oct, iHHtt. 
I Blondel’s Lcs Vroduits OdvranU dot liowrs. 
districts, rich in stereopteno, and, therefore, capable 
of bearing a larger amount of adulterant without 
interfering with its tendency to cryatallise when the 
sample is placed in cold water. Mr. Baur's paper, 
above referred to, details these methods of testing tho 
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-ouasb. — This aromatic grass seems to bo 
very little known in England by name, and its 
essential oil does not appear to be known at all. 
Botanically it is Andrapogm Lani'jerttm of Dosfontaines. 
It is identical with k'amun camelontm and Junctii 
odoratw. It has been termed Cumhopogon Laniger, and 
it partly agrees with Roxburgh's description of A. 
hmrauensa. It has long been known to pharmacists 
in the East as Jferha schamanthus, and is figured by 
Pomot in his “Histoire des Drogues " as 
" sqnenantho."('»i.l 
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 tho culms of tho plant, with or without a portion 
of tho root) is “ Izkhlr." This name, os given in the 
best lexicons, is derived from the same Arabic root 
which furnishes the derivative “ Zakhira," a common 
term in India for storod-np forage &o. The name 
k'mimm camelontm signifies its use as a forage for 
camels. It is a native of Arabia, growing plentifully 
in tho desert and in the hot, ar id regions of Algeria. 
The Arabians call it " Helsi Meccavi" and “Idhir 
Mecchi." It is said that in the deserts between Syria 
and FIgypt it is tho only grass oaten by camels. This 
lant has a wide distribution, but is not cultivated, 
t is found growing on the lower Himalayan tracts 
and in Thibet at an altitude of 11,000 feet, extending 
through tho plains of tho North-West Provinces to 
Sind, Roxburgh says it grows in largo 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. 
Lemory, commenting on Pomet, says that this 
“ k'tcmim camelontm is a kind of framant rush, or grass, 
growing plentifully in Arabia Felix at tho foot of 
Mount Libanus, whore it servos for fodder and 
litter for tho camels. Tho stalk is aliont a foot high, 
divided into several bard atoms, of the size, figure, 
and colour of barley-straw, being much smaller toward* 
tho top. The leaves are about half a foot long, nar- 
row, rough, pointed, of a pale green colour. The 
flowers growing on tho top are ranged in double 
order, small, hairy, or a carnation colour. .... 
all tho plant, and particularly the flower, is of a strong 
smell and bitter taste." This plant is also figured in 
Plukcnett's " Phytographia," 1691, tab. 109, fig. 1. 
“ Alokhian Gehanium Oie" is derived from throe 
species of I'elan/otiitim : — The odoralissiiiium (Willdo- 
now) (nj ; tho /’. capilaliim. (Alton) ("o.) ; and/’, roieum 
(Willdenow (p) — a variety of radvla, (Alton), fg). 
These plants ore cultivated in open fields in many 
parts of Algeria — notably at La Trappo de Staonoli, 
near the Bay of Sidi Ferruch, at Castigliono, at Sahel, 
in tho good red soil consisting of a decomposition of 
micaceous schists, {rj at Boufarik, at Blidah, at 
Grand Cherakas and at Guyoville, in tho environs of 
Constantino, and in tho plains of Metidja, close 
to Algiers. Tho average production of Algeria is 
about 6, (kX) kilos; the price per kilo, varies from 46f. 
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, theplantations 
are cstoblishod on low-lying and rather humid soil, 
which yields three crops annually instead of one. 
By a system of irrigation which flood tho plantations, 
the proprietors force the g rowth of the plan t to a 
7n Pomet's J/ist. des Drogues 1694, _p. 
n Cavanilles's Mcmadelphitc iv. t. 103, fig, 1. 
o Andrews's Coloured kiigs, of Oeraniv.ms, 
p flolanist.C /fejiosilorii. I’ll!. 
ij Hotanical Ma>/., t. 9.'>. 
r Jirp, de I'aris 1678, Cat. f!p(c. de I'Algerti, 
