60

TRADE WITH THE UNITED STATES.

Java. 1904 is to witness the restoration of the good name of
the Island in the citronella oil trade. *
Cardamoms are to be especially exploited with “folders
and with samples for distribution. An increased demand
for: this aromatic “Seed of Paradise” is necessary ; and
it is hoped that America, besides having it on sale in its
drug stores, will take larger quantities for culinary purposes,
thus following an excellent precedent in Cinnamon bark
and chips, required for flavouring and the extraction of
oil. This bark is rolled into quills of four grades, the
smallest quills being the best; and what is termed in the
trade “ordinary assortment” means that in every 100-1b.
bale there shall be 201b. of No.1, 50 1b. of No. 2, 26 1b. of
No. 3,and 4 1b. of No. 4. The nut of the Areca palm males a
good astringentand tooth powder, and the fibre of the genuine
Jaffna Palmyra palm is not rivalled for toughness by the
Palmyra fibres of India. The long fibre of the Kitul palm
merits increased attention, but at present the palm chiefly
grows wild. There are four sizes of fibre,and the proportions
usual to every ton ars as follows: No. 0 size, 1 ewt. ; No. 1, 9
cwt. ; No. 2,9 cwt. ; No. 3,1ewt. Of minor products, such as
Vanilla, Sapanwood, Myrobolans, Croton seed, and Gingelly
seed (for the oil and poonac), the Colony cannot’ expect a
larger turnover until its inhabitants attempt to grow these
valuable. articles on a sufficiently large scale; but samples
are on view, and the United States will hear more of some of
them in years to come.

*The following is a brief description of Mr. Bamber's important
discovery for detecting and estimating the amount of adulteration in
citronella oils, whether of mineral or fatty oils :—A special graduated
glass tube is employed with a capacity of about 25 cubic centimetres, the
lower portion being constricted and graduated to a tenth of a cubic centi.
metre to allow of more accurate readings. Two cubic centimetres of pure
acid-free cocoanut oil are measured into the tube from a burette and then
2 cubic centimetres of the citronella oil to be tested, the two oils being
mixed by agitation. Twenty cubic centimetres of 83 per cent. alcohol are
then added, the tube closed with a stopper, and agitated violently for one
minute, The tube is then placed in a Leffman Beam or other suitable
 centrifugal apparatus properly counterbalanced, and centrifugalized
for about one minute, when it is removed, and the volume of oil in
she lower part of the tube read off, Deducting from this the 2 cubic
centimetres of cocoanut oil originally added, the difference, if any,
will represent the amount of adulteration in the 2 cubic centimetres
of citronella oil tested, from which the percentage is easily calculated.
The test agrees with Schimmel’s to a certain extent; but is far
more delicate and will estimate an adulteration of 1 or 2 per cent.
It is also more easily carried out, especially in tropical countries,
as cooling for several hours to detect the minute drops of oil is not
required. In temperate climates, however, the estimation would have to
be conducted at about 30° Centigrade to maintain the cocoanut oil in a fluid
state, or another suitable fatty oil fluid at low temperature be employed.