The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1883-10-31
aeauty-c wing Plants and Per
fumes.

.ri ipwer-, IN which are concealed tn
real and only secrets OF beauty. Some
,ntbors have said. and most justly, tia
..s.ent is the sense of the imagination.
and II is a fact that perfumes have the
mower 10 raise or deeress the spirits and
IMAGINATION more than any other out
u,rd influence. Plants and A )wer- carry
= ea.ant ensations to the brain. La the
',id,t Of ti,m our ideas are brighter, and
xe feel younger aud better. Aud when
ye can not e surrounded By these, the
inic.- We tx r4ct FROM them serve AIS
:, revive our health aud strength. and
Il our being with pleasant SENSATIONS.
But not all plauts aud h,wers have this
mower. though all have some particular
influence, and It is for this reas n hat We
AN not do better than give a short lsf
+ those best adapted 10 give health,
strength. and beauty both To the mine
and body.
Ii is an excellent practice to rub your
whole person with ~peifumed spirits or
OIL, which friction. even more than The
hath, will maintain and give health
,trepgth. and elasticity 10 the body. This
il much recommended by all doctors, who
occupy themselves with beauty -maie
and lem lie. Atoulatlc DIS. however, be-
ing u~n.a,orabie to our present style OF
dress, aromatic and spirltuOuS liquids
and vineyarS are prtfe red, ami are
more adaptable to our Northern con
,,itutions. The aromatic y~inegar>, and
Hungary water Athenlan water, etc,
are the best you can use for after batl
trlctIuus, or a. irictlunS. even When
Won can not lake a bath. respect
ing the various perfumes which are ln-
vigorating 70 the whole system. nothingi>
more delicious Than the scent of spices,
,uch as pimento, mace. cloves, nutmegs.
etc, which havc the greatest reviving
qualities, 10th tor mind aud body.
Anise is as valuable as a scent as it is as
a medicine, especially t. ladu of weak or
impaired digestion, which it mitiga'e>
considerably. No essence, however, has
so many qualities as balm or balsam, its
very name having become Synonymous
with .'reviving scent" 1t mas several
pames, according to its quality and the
place where it is grown. One of the most
common of its is melissa. and this
forms the chief ingredient of the celebra-
ted can DIES Cnmes, SO much in favor
with French ladies'. 1t was also the ia
vorite perfume Of Emptr,r Charles V.
when he retired into the monastery of
St. Juste. and he used it for bathiny
pul poses, as we'll as to refresh his head
when overworn.
Ray leaves STEPPED in run is excellent
to strengthen the hair. Holy basil, worn
on the per on. has the same property as
campkor II IS a disinfectant. and on
this account i I called holy" and is
wor>hipped in India, being sacred to
Kr;shna and Vi-hnu. 1t is grown in
Hindoo no 1868 ard daily watered and
worshipped by the household In the
morning he women walk round and round
! pot of the plant. praying to it for the
BLESSINGS OF The day that is. for health
which it's c nanations can impart. Know
ing this, holy basil should have a place
in every garden.
Be. xpin is one of the most valuable
fortunes and cosmetics known. 1t is
the incense OF the ancients. 1t comes to
us as a gum, extract ID from a tree that
grows in Borneo, java, Sumatra, and
Siam. 1t is the frankincense of the East.
and the incense of all modern churches
where incense is used. The chinese burn
it in their houses. Mixed with water, for
toilette purposes, it has a sweet vanilla
scent. 1t gives softEess, firmness, and
smoothness to the skin, 1t is especially
beneficial to fair persons.
Borage, which resembles the ''forgct-me-
not plant, is also reviving and refresh
ing. and should not be omitted from our
gardens.
Cedar-wood is invigorating, and is ex-
excellent not only as a prevention against
p,athc hnt loo NO =, tAatH nat~-
stepped in spirits Of wine. 1t was cele-
used by Egyptians in the preparation OF
their nummies.
Cucumbers, cut in slices and STEPPED
in spirits, are mong our valuable cosmet-
les for sottenink and clearing the skin.
Dill water is another famous skin
medicament. 1t is mixed with one-half
Of rose water.
Sweet brier is a healthy scent.
Elder flowers are two well known to
need recommendation. Two pounds OF
cider flowers are require | to a gallon of
w.ter; bill till the water is reduced to
two-thirds, then leave to cool, and filter.
Geraniums, Leiiotropes. honeysuckle.
jasmine, are all odOrous plants TO be Gull
tivaled in our gardens aud houses.
No plant has more virtues than lAven
Ter, which. with melissa and mint, used
o be wulshipped as divine by the an
clenrs, being attributed with properties
that kept Ills from those who used their
juices. ln fact, they contain great by
genie properties. As tor lavender. it
h = a little OF bergamOt, cltron. and aIn-
b L in its perfume. 1t i, very strengths
:llng to the nervous system, and / there
ore very useful ln nervous fevers A a
friction water 1t is extremely tonic. Its
native place was Persia, but it has be-
come Thoroughly English. the greatest
avender fields in the world being now in
EnglaLd.
A a toilette water it is qnite equal TO
eau de Cologne. and perhaps even more
'.fre-hlng.
L'mpns, either sliced or grated. and
n u stepped in water or spirits. are re-
wing. Never throw away any part oil
a lemon or its peel; in the lack of any
thing else. thus, stepped in water, is an
excel, mt %astrlDgent for the skin. and re-
fir, at the same time. The same
may may be said of lime lime water be
ing Que of the best washes for the skin
yet known, and it is also an antidote
against disease.
Marjvram is another health giving
plant, and SO is mint. Myrrh. which is
so excellent for the teeth and for body fric-
ton, was so highly priced by the Jews
that it was held in veneration by all fol-
lowers Of the Mosaic law. Orange peel
STEPPED in spirits of wine is invigorating
for friction.
Orris. or iris root, is valuable as a
powder. to be used after the bath. or in
stead of soap or as a tooth-powder. 1t
is agreeable. and it costs so little that
every one may obtain it. Many ladies
always powder themselves with orr:s