7 2 
The oil which comes over first is richest in geraniol and citro- 
nellal (these two together constitute the “total geraniol” or better 
“total alcohols”) as the following table shows: 
Sp. gr. at 27 
Rotation 
"total geraniol ” per 
Fraction I 
0.875 
-30 
87.2 
„ 2 ... 
0.875 
-40 
82.3 
„ 3 
0.880 
-50 
77-3 
4 -• 
0.883 
-70 
77.3 
Further, the “geraniol content ” increases from the first to the 
third leaf and then diminishes. De Jong also states that, as a rule 
Java citronella oil of commerce is soluble in three parts of 80 to 90 
per cent. Andropogott Nardus, Ceylon , is recommended to planters 
having poor soil, which they wish to occupy. A corresponding set of 
determinations was made with this plant, and the results may be 
summarised thus : 
— 
Yield from 
too leaves 
C.C. 
Yield from 
100 gms. of 
leaves C. C. , 
Rotation 
of oil 
“Geraniol 
content'’ 
per cent. 
Leaf, No. I • • 
1.9 
5-9 
-3° 8' 
85-9 
2 . • 
3-4 
3-7 
“3° 20' 
86.3 
99 
„ 1 • . 
2.9 
2.0 
-3° 
81.3 
99 J 
A . . 
2-5- 
2.0 
-3" 40' 
83.0 
.• ' ^ 
C , . 
— 
3° 12' 
81.3 
i» J 
„ 6 . ■ 
— 
- 4 20' 
74.8 
The yield of oil is therefore smaller and the quality rather poorer 
than that from the Java grass, but the Ceylon oil of commerce, 
according to de Jong, contains only from 50 to 70 per cent. “ geraniol.” 
The cultivation of lemongrass is carried on much in the same 
way as with citronella. The data obtained in the course of the investi- 
gation of the grass as grown in Java were as follows : 
Number of Yield from Yield from 
Leaf used 300 leaves C.C. 100 gms. .of 
leaves C.C. 
Citral content 
per cent. 
1 
2 
3 
4 
5 
6 
7 
099 
I.29 
1.09 
0.95 
0.91 
Xri A w 
1.20 
O.96 
0.83 
O.78 
78.1 
794 
77-0 
80.5 
80.0 
82.5 
83.O 
