The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1874-09-10
PerfuMeFy.
From Harper's for September


Arabian doctor, who fourished in the
tenth century. Previous to his time
resins, spices and oils or ointmeDts,
scented by contact with fragrant sub
stances, were the chief, if not the only,
forms Of perfume known. TO him it is
said belongs the honor of first separa-
ting the aromas Of plants and flowers
IN such manner that they could be
readily applied where greasy unguents
and smoking incense were alike una
vailable.
70 the invention Ct Avicenna we are
indebted for the most durable elements
OF modern perfumeryi but our most
fragrant and delicate odors, are pro-
Tddced by another process ,ofmuch. later
discovery, which we will attempt to de-
scribe in the paragraphs that follow.
THE odors of all vegetable matters
reside in a principal or constituent
known as essential OIL. or more proper
~, otto. Each individual plant or
flower contains agreater or less amount
of this principle, the separation of
which from the parent substance is the
initial movement in all the most i'm
portant Of the perfumer's operations.
AS it exists in but small proportion, we
have in it, when isolated, remarka Bile
concentration of odor, End it's stability,
when SO separated, is so great that
many varieties can be kept for years
unchanged. In the otto we not only
possess the fragrance Of TIE flower long
after the season for blooming is past,
but by its use can impart a favorite
odor to thousand bodies scentless in
| themselves.
"Ottos are ell in the liquid form; are
OF an oily appearance, vary in color
from light straw to dark red or brown,
and possess, as before stated, the odor
of the substances from which they are
derived. The yield Of this principle
from various materials, ranges from six
per cent. or more down to very minute
quantities. Nutmegs, for instance, are
very rich in otto; lemon rinds contain
it in such abundance that it can be
profitably extracted by expression;
while roses yield SO little that but three
teaspoonfuls are obtained from hun
dred pounds of the petals.
''The we'll known process of distilla-
ton is the method most frequently
employed to procure these ottos. This
process, as almost everyone knows,
consists essentially in vaporizing a
liquid in closed vessel, and conducting
the vapor to a receiver, in which it is
condensed by the application of cold
water. When given plant or flower
is placed in the still with proper pro-
portion Of water, and heat applied, its
otto, being volatile, rises with the
steam, and both being condensed to-
gether, they readily separate on cool
ing. When applied to this purpose.
the process is often conducted by pass
ing steam through the material to be
exhausted, instead Of boiling it in the
usual way.
''The heat employed in distillation is
necessarily injurious to the product,
and to preserve the exquisite freshness
and delicacy Of the odors Of the flowers
another way OF producing is necessary,
namely, nldcerdtion or enfeurdge.
Fatty bodies have strong affinity
for all ottos, and at the same time ex-
ert little or no solvent power on the
other matters with which they are as
sociated. Flowers, aromatics or bal
sans infused in oil. impart to it their
characteristic odors, and if this infus-
ion be repeated sufficient number of
times, highly-scented preparation is
obtained, which exhibits naturalness
Of fragrance not attainable by distilla-
ton. The operation Of so impregnat-
ing grease with odors is conducted as
follows:
1.-The flowers, separated from leaves
or other extraneous matter, are placed
in suitable vessel and covered with
oil or liquified suet of lard. A gentle
heat is then applied for period rang
ing from twelve to forty-eight hours, at
the end of which the fat is strained
from them, and fagain digested with
fresh ones, which operation is repeated
four or five times, or until sufficient
perfume is imported to the grease.
This method Of extraction is called
maceration, or, more properly, diges-
ton, it being warm process.
when the aroma is very delicate, it
ID ucCesSdTy W ASOlO neat enIlTely, anu
a variation Of the foregoing method is
employed, which is known IS enfeu
rage. In this way of work
ing, the fatty matter, when |
of solid body, is spread
in thin layers on trays or frames, and |
its surface covered with flowers, cup
downward, which, after being allowed
to remain there for from twelve to sew
enty.two hours, are removed, and their |
place supplied by fresh ones, which are
again renewed, as in maccration, until |
sufficient odor is impaired to the grease.
When oil is used, some coarse cloths |
saturated take the place of the lard or
suet. These are precisely as beforehand |
the oil recovered from them by power |
full pressure.
"The greases used IN the foregoing |
processes must, Of course, be as free |
from odor as possible. Benne and olive |
oils, when fresh, need no preparation,
but lard and suet require thorough and |
repeated washings with water to render
them sufficiently scentless.
A Bridgeport Conn man who
started for the West ten days ago, in
fondino <o cattle fhcro hae rofurpo1