The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1878-10-12
Cur Olio.
Culture of Lavender in England.

| Although lavender Will grow freely and
bloom profusely on soils of widely differ
ent character, its cultivation for CONNER
cial purposes is confined to an area of com
paratively small extent There are plan
tations in Herts and CaEibridgeshire, but
by far the largest proportion of the flowers
that are sent annually to the distilleries
are produced in Surrey, in the district of
which Mitcham may be considered the
centre. Formerly the lavender plantations
of Surrey were confaed to the parish of
Mitcham, but of late years, to keep pace
with the requirements Of the manufactur-
ers, it has been found necessary to con-
siderably extend the area, and plantations
of vast extent are now TO be met with in
BeddingtOn, Wellington, Sutton and Car
shalton, and it is computed that in this
district there are at least 300 acres under
lavender. 1t is now about eighteen years
since the first plantations were formed in
Beddington, and from thence the culture
has extended to the adjoining parishes,
particularly those on the south and west,
and in passing at the present time through
the lanes or footpaths that intersect the
fields, the eye is attracted on all sides by
the broad sheets of color. Lavender cul-
ture now forms an industry of no small
importance to the district, and will in all
probability undergo still further extension,
for it is certainly not likely that the pro-
duce of the Mitcham fields will be sup
planted by that from any other part of the
country. To fully understand why it is
that the cultivators in Surrey are so we'll
able to hold their own against growers iu
other counties, it must be remembered that
flowers borne by plants grown on dry soils
and in warm situations yield, by distilla-
lation, an essential oil of much finer quail
ty than that obtained from flowers pro-
duced by plants on soils containing a su-
perabundance of moisture, and in situa-
tions that are not particularly warm. The
presence OF oaloareous matter in the soil
appears also to exercise a very material |
influence upon the quality of the essential
oil, and at Mitcham we find a good depth |
of loan, somewhat "hOlding" in texture
and resting upon a bed of chalk, and eli
matical conditions of highly favorable |
character. The common lavender, Lduan- |
duta Usrd, is the species grown in the |
Mitcham and other districts, as the OIL |
yielded by its flowers, although not so large |
in bulk as that produced by the flowers of
LdcdRdatd spica, is of much finer quality, |
and is alone employed in the manufacture
of the finest perfumes. The oil obtained /
from the last mentioned of the two species /
is rather green in color, and is commonly
known as spike oil, or foreign oil of laven-
der. 1t is chiefly used for painting, but
considerable quantity finds its way every
year to the seeond-class manufactures
where lavender water and other perfumes,
of which the base is the essential oil of
lavender, are prepared, and this in its turn
is sometimes adullerated with spirits of
turpentine. The harvesting of the flowers
takes place at the end of July or the be-
ginning Of August, according to the sea-
son, the proper moment for cutting the
spikes being just as the flowers are open
ing, as they are then more powerfully
aromatic, and consequently yield an oil of
greater value than when fully expanded.
The cutting is done with the sickle, and
every care taken to Immediately pack and
tie up in mats, for when exposed to the
rays Of the sun for any length of time
after cutting the yield of oil is materially
reduced in consequence. The flowers can
not indeed be sent to the distillery too
quickly after their removal from the plants.
Large quantities of lavender flowers are
sent to Covent Garden annually, and from
thence find their way to the shops and
costers barrows, for there is still demand
for them for filling muslin bags to stow
away in drawers and cupboards, notwith-
standing the facilities which exist for OBJ
tanning the essential oil, and lavender
water and other perfumes into which it
enters. The flowers, it should be remem-
bered, are put into drawers and wardrobes
as an antidote to moths, as well as for im-
parting an agreeable odor to the articles
placed in these receptaeles. \ few drops
of the oil will, however, serve the same
purpose; and it has been ascertained by
experiment that if single drop is placed
in small box along with living insect,
the insect will be killed almost immediate
ly. The distillation of the flowers is a bus
iness quite distinct from that of their
production, and both large and small grow
ers take their crops to the distillery and
pay certain rate per ton. The quantity
of oil extracted from ton of lavender va
ries according to the season, rather dry
and hot summer being the most favorable
to an abundant production. From 10 lbs
to l6 lbs. is considered fair average; but
in favorable seasons not more than 10 lbs
of oil is obtained from ton of lavender,
and in some years it reaches 90 lbs, but
not often. The distilling commences about
August l, and is continued until the end
of September or the middle of October,
according to the extent of the crop. This
is considered as being good year, for,
oSripo IN the abundance of noiSfnrn in the