Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1857-09-03
THE METHOD OF MAKING PERFUMES.

discovery has recently been made in France
which bids fair to revOlutionize the perfumery
business. Already arrangements have been
made to carry il out on an extensive scale In Al
geria. 1t had its origin in the analytical ex-
animation of wheat by q French chemist, M
Milton. That gentleman found that, by means
of ethor he could dissolve out of the grains or
-four of wheat, a peculiar substance, which re-
tained for years the oder Of the grain in a con-
centrated form.
upon, until he has finally projected process
which cannot fail to be of great consequence to
his native country. A nation that exports six
millions OF dollars in perfumery, besides con-
sumlDg no small amount Of it at home, ought 10
be grateful for any improvement in so import
ant branch ofindustry. The attention of per-
fumers has long been turned to this subject, and
many substances have been employed by them,
which are not especially favorites with those
who use the Extracts and EaN deS MiHsfsars.
Indeed, we would not advise our lady friends
TO enter minutely into the study of these balmy
oders which they 30 much admire. In such
matters as these, Pope's line is most emphati-
eally true.
"where ignorance i, bliss, tits folly to be wise ~
1t is not merely the cost of the distillatiOn of
aromatic principles from flowers which has
caused the manufacturers to look to other
sources for his supply. The great difficulty of
preserving these delicate odOrs, during the
process Of distillatiOn, has had its influence.
Rose vater, for example, as everybody knows,
does not preserve the delicious fragrance of the
fresh flower damp with the de~s of morning
1t results only from the OdOr of the dead and
withered petals, the same change in the aro-
matte principle having taken place during pro-
cess Of distillatiOn, which occurs when the fOw
er is allowed to wither in the drawer. The ex-
treme delicacy of the aromatic principle cannot
resist the necessary amount of heat. Indeed so
II. n Il
Gus essences, that when separated by the new
process, they are destroyed even by the small
amount Of foreign matter which exists in well
and river water, while perfectly pure distilled
water retains them for an indefinite length of
time.
The new process recommends itself as well by
its simplicity as by its excellence. Ii consists
In exhausting the fresh flowers by some solvent,
such as ether, or sulphGret Of carbon. If the
action is complete, the flowers are completely
deprived of their OderOus principle, which is
found III the ether. This being distilled off
leaves residue, either solid or semi-fluid.
which contains the aromatic principle, mixed
with some cOlOring matter, wax, oil and other
constituents Of the flower. Ifthese are allowed
to remain in contact with the odOriferOus mat
ter, they will eventually destroy it. The sepe-
ration Of them is the difficult part of the new
process. 1t Is usually effected by means of
pure alcohol, which dissolves the perfume with
a very small amount OF other substances, leav
ing the great bulk of these last behind
So perfectly does this process isolate the per-
fume, that the slightest alteration in the flow
ers can be detected in the result. The fresh
OdOr can be obtained from fresh flowers. If
those which have been withsred, ever so little,
have been employed. the exact amount of inju-
ny to the flower will be repeated in the per-
fume. Even the time of day at which the flow
ers have been gathered will have an influence
upon the result. 50 that it becomes necessary to
study the habits of different plants in reference
to their OdOr. Some must be gathered before
the dew has time to dry upon them, others re-
quire the sun TO develope their fragrance.
Thus prepared, NJ. Milton has found the per-
fume remarkably Interchangeable. 1t is not
readily dissipated like the essences but re-
mains without perceptible alteration, even af-
ter having been long exposed 10 the air in open
vessels. So little is lost by this process that
the final result represents precisely the amount
of perfume possessed by the original quantity
Of flowers operated upon so that it will give TO
the same weight OF fat oil, the full strenth of
Of Odor which the flowers itself possessed.