iqo  Production  of  Lemon-Grass  Oil.    { Am.  jour.  Pharm. 
xy  J  <-       April,  1917. 
From  the  results  shown  in  Table  VI  it  is  evident  that  complete 
extraction  of  the  oil  gives  a  product  of  greater  solubility  and  higher 
citral  content. 
The  oils  produced  in  Florida  from  all  varieties  of  the  plant  have 
passed  the  solubility  test  when  first  distilled,  but  after  storing  for 
three  months  all  have  become  insoluble.  At  the  present  time  there 
is  a  decided  tendency  to  disregard  the  solubility  test,  and  no  difficulty 
has  been  encountered  in  selling  the  Florida  oils  at  a  good  price  when 
the  citral  content  was  70  per  cent,  or  more. 
COMMERCIAL  POSSIBILITIES. 
The  consumption  of  lemon-grass  oil  in  the  United  States  for  the 
manufacture  of  ionone  and  for  perfumery  purposes  is  continually 
increasing,  and  it  is  believed  that  the  demand  is  sufficient  to  warrant 
an  attempt  to  grow  the  plant  for  the  commercial  production  of  the 
oil  in  such  parts  of  the  country  as  possess  the  proper  climatic  re- 
quirements. Tests  on  acre  plats  have  been  made  to  determine  the 
cost  of  production,  the  best  methods  of  distilling  the  oil,  and  the 
quality  of  the  product.  Samples  of  the  oil  produced  have  been 
sold  on  the  market  at  the  prices  prevailing  for  the  better  grades  of 
imported  oil,  and  it  seems  possible  to  produce  the  oil  commercially 
at  a  fair  profit. 
From  the  experiments  made  thus  far  the  following  estimates  are 
given  of  the  cost  of  production  and  the  returns  that  may  be  expected 
for  this  crop  under  average  conditions : 
Expenditures. 
First  year  (per  acre)  : 
Preparing  the  land    $  3.00 
Planting    2.00 
Fertilizers    8.00 
Cultivation    2.00 
Harvesting  and  distilling   '   5°0 
Total  expenditures,  first  year    20.00 
Succeeding  years  (per  acre)  : 
Cultivation    $  1.00 
Fertilizers   8.00 
Harvesting  and  distilling    8.00 
Total  expenditures,  second  year  and  succeeding  years  . .  17.00 
