Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1883-08-23
PERFUMES FROM FLOWERS.
Some OF the Favoritea n nd the Plants by
MhIoh They are AuppIIeh.


coal tar, and so on, as people have been
lead to suppose" said New York
chemist to Sun reporter. Take the
leSSamine, for instance; that's always
a favorite, and is used in the makeup
of many perfumes. Two different
specimens Of the flower are used, bu
the perfume is made principally from
the Jasminum grandillorum. In
France the cultivation OF this plant
for the perfumery trade is an impor-
tant industry. though the plant is
somewhat difficult to raise Very hot
seasons are most favorable for it the
hotter the weather, the richer the per
fumc. Old ladies take to lavender in
any shape, and the lavender shrub pro-
duccs powerful volatile oil that is
used not only in perfumcry and for
Havoring dishes, but in medicine also.
Lavender produces three distinct oils
known to the trade The poorest is
commonly called spike oil. Two other
kinds are distilled from a species Of the
shrub which is common in England
and the French mountains. The Eng
lish oil is the bcst-wOrth ten times
as much rs the French. The villagers
about Bedingtpn and Wellington, Eng
land, and other places, at one time
raised the entire supply. The supply
Is now growing less, and consequently
the price IS going up, and the business
oi raising lavender is a paying one
The English crop il you call it a crop.
Is gathered in July and August. Then
the flowers are in full bloom and do
not require any cleaning or trimming.
Boys and girls pick them and flowers
and stalks are distilled together. every
ufty pounds giving about ten ounces
Df oil. The imported oil comes mostly
from France, though great deal
zones from Algeria and north Italy.
Lavender water finds an enormous sale
( among BARRIERS. many Of whom make
their own dcCoCtions out Of anything
they can get hold Of Real lavender
water is made from lavender oil mixed
with rose and orange water. \ cheap
kind IS called cSscnse d'aspic. and is
distilled from a wild plant and doctor
. II with turpcntiuc and camphor.
Thyme IS an old-fa,hionrd sort Of
plant, but thymus yulgaris, common
IN France, Greece and many countries
gives us a valuable pcrfumcry oil In
France they take from it two entirely
f different oils, red and white, the gath
rrinR being done In the summer
months In the same localities the
rosemary is cultivated. and, being a
popular perfumery, is in great demand
at a high price. Patchouli comes from
the oil Of the rogostencon patchouh, a
plant collected by the natives Of the
Malay islands. 1t is extremely power
ful. little Of II going great ways
when the wind Is fair. II is always in
fashion and Is used with the altar OF
rose.
"In altar Of rose there is probably more
deception than in any other perfume
Certain kinds come from Turkey. done
mp in curious bottles: but learned
some time ago. on good authority. that
these bottles and their contents were
manufactured in a Connecticut town.
and the profits were about seventy
+ FIVE cents on a dollar. Even In the
east, where the genuine altar Of rose
I is made. II il adultrate1 with oil of
rose gcranium and the oil Of a grass
/ found In India. and so great is the
I cheating that the trade in this grass
alone is an important one. The head
/ quarters OF the trade are in Turkey
T The genuine thing comes from Turkey
and Bulgaria smyrna furnishes a
Z great deal. The NATIVES Of the valley
Of the Ganges also produce a good deal
for home consumption, and some is
produced in France. Any one who
| knows the business can tell the genu-
I inc article at a glance. The rose from
which this valuable oil is taken is the
4 rosa Damascena, and rose water is
made from a decortion of the leaves of
the same plant. The petals Of rosa
Gallica, grown in Asia Minor and vari
ous parts of England and Europe. are
greatly valued. and the leaves also
bringa high price. The same dcccp
tion is found in these. those imported
from France being often dyed with
some aniline. a drop of ammonia,
however. detects the fraud.
THE funeral tuberose produces a
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