, 1885-04-24
nHE ARn.


emu Musk Value Of Amhergrfs-Ca-
ingnos and Toilet w~nters-Bay Rum.
lInttrview with a Chemist
Musk, the genuine grain from the
musk deer, is now worth its weight in
gold, so scarce has it become, the wild
eyed little animal from which it is OBJ
tanned having been very nearly exter-
minated from its Asiatic haunts. A full
grown musk deer will yield about an
ounce Of the grains, which are found in
q sac in the skin OF the abdomen. The
grains are no larger than a pea, and
some Of them are as small as a pins
head. The musk is sold in the market
in the pods or sacs in which 1t is found,
but is frequently a~dulterated- So many
OF the deer are killed before arriving at
maturity that the average musk bag i'm
ported, either Chinese or Russian, will
not exceed half an ounce in weight
The adulteration Of musk is made posi-
bic by the use of n seed known as the
musk seed. 1t grows in India. The
Chinese musk is priced the most, but it
is more open to suspicion than the Rus
sian, which is seldom found with the
sac broken. There are many artificial
musks, but none OF them can take the
place Of the genuine in fine perfumes.
Ambcrgris is a valuable n costly
ad inst of the perfumers' art. II is ba-
lievcd to be caused by o disease of the
liver in the spermaceti whale, in the in
testines of which il is chiefly found,
although II is cast up by the sea in
Oriental climes, and is gathered along
the shores Of Coromandel, Madagascar,
and Japan. Ii is an aromatic, gray
substance. and rs much as 100 pounds
OF IL have been taken from one whale.
A lump of ambergri of that size is
worth to the whaler about 81, 900.
There is no duty on ambergris in this
country. 1t is worth as much rs $t5 an
ounce in New York. 1t is of ~incaculable
benefit to the perfumer, as it gives
homeogeneity to the fragrance of com
bined extracts and oils in a remarkable
manner, and strongly develops the deli
cate and evanescent odors of volatile
oils. Ambergris, when genuine, for 1t is
easily counterfcited, is full Of small
black spots when cut. II is used TO i'm
prove the flavor of wines.
Colognes and toilt waters of all kinds
have been so SUGGEST lily prepared in this
country during The plst few years that
a large export trade in them has grad
ually developed. A cologne is simply
refined, ordorless alcohol, perfumed
with some essential oil of flowers, there
is no reason why is should not be made
as well here as elsewhere. All first. class
toilet waters, with the exception of bay
rum, are nothing moro nor less than per
fumed corn spirits, which have received
a medicinal quality by the introduction
Of balsamic or tonic properties. Gen
uine bay run is always imported. Nine
tcnths Of the stun used as bag rum in
N.r.s .T.rf. .a .aafT m.1tl,. uttta- g.. ,,.f
bay rum AZ all, Tut n mixture of the es
sential oil OF bay with common run or
alcohol There are few barber shops
where the genuine articles is in use.
Genuine hag rum is made only in the
West Indies. 1t is the distillation Of
the green leaves AMI berries of the bay
berry tree mixed with absolutely pure
rum, st. CroiX being Used in the very
best quality. There is only one true
bayberry, but there are many varieties
of it in the West Indies, and so closely
do they resemble the primemta oeris, or
true bay, that great care is necessary in
gathering the leaves, for the presence
Of q small quantity Of the leaves Of any
other variety is sufficient TO spoil the
entire product Of a still. Ripe berries
are mixed in the still with the Leaves.
The best bay spirit is distilled by steam
ia copper pipes, but the ordinary com
mcrcinl spirit, such rs bay rum is made
from here, is distilled over an open fire.
The genuine steam distilled bay spirit is
not only many times stronger than the
other. bnt the refreshing aroma that
characleri2cs il is ten times as lasting.
The West Indians find the rue bay rum
SO necessary to their comfort among tho
numerous discOmfOrtS attending n life
in the climate Of their country that they
use about all that is made, and hence
It's scarcity in this and other countries.