Huntsville gazette., 1888-05-26
PERFUMES OF COMMERCE.

How Pomades, Flower Waters and Hand
kerchief Extracts Are Made.
The perfumes of commerce are in one
Of four generic forms, viz, pomades
and perfumed oils, which are made by
the process Of absorption, or essences
and essential oils, which are made by
distillation, Every large establish
ment is provided with apparatus for
all these processes. The first two
classes-pomades and oils-are used
simply as vehicles to absorb the per.
fume and retain it for transportation.
POmades are made from roses, jon
quins, tuberoscs, jasmines and some
other alien species of flowers. Before
the season begins, each manufacturer
provides himself with large number
Of wooden frames set with plate glass.
These frames are about two feet square
and their wooden sides are, perhaps,
| five inches wide, so that when piled up
edge to edge they form a series of close
chambers five inches deep and two
feet square. Over the plate glass, on
both sides, is spread thin coating OF
refined grease-a mixture of purified
lard and tallow-which, when the
boxes are piled one above another,
forms the floor and ceiling of each sep
arate chamber thus created. All is
now ready for the flowers.
AS these arrive each morning they
are assorted and the petals carefully
picked from the stamens and pistils,
which are thrown away as worthless.
Over the bottom of each frame or
chamber above described is spread a
layer of petals and the frames piled
one upon another, so that in each
chamber the layer of flowers has above
and beneath it the layer of white
grease, which absorbs the perfume un-
til the petals become limp and with
cred. They are then removed and re-
placed with fresh ones and this is
repeated each morning until the po-
made attains the required degree of
perfumed strength. 1t is then care
fully removed, packed in earthen jars,
sealed, labeled and made ready fol-
export.
Olive oils are used in a similar way,
except that instead of being poured on
the bottom of the frame, they are used
to saturate pieces of coarse cotton
cloth, which are then spread upon
wire netting in tight frames three OF
four feet square. Thus prepared these
frames are filled with petals rs in the
preceding process, the refined and
odorless olive oil absorbs the aroma OF
the flowers and becomes like the po-
made, a vehicle for the retention and
transportation of the perfume. This
latter process is especially applied to
roses and acacias. To extract the
odor from pomades or perfumed oils
they have simply to be saturated with
alcohol, which, with its stronger affini
ty, absorbs the perfume, leaving the
grease or oil to be used for ordinary
purposes.
1t naturally requires large quantity
OF flowers to make q comparatively
small amount of perfume. The pro-
cess of filling the pomade frames with
fresh flowers goes on daily for several
months before it attains the desired
strength. 1t is by this method only
that the delicate aroma of the choicest
flowers can be extracted and preserved
without change for transport to distant
markets.
The process of distillation which
yields essences and essential oils is
altogether different. In this the how-
ers are thrown into large copper re-
torts with water, in which they are
boiled, the perfume going over in vapor
into condensing coils, as the ordinary
distillation of high wines from grain.
But the heat often changes the char
acter of perfume, and it is only the
more robust and vigorous odors that
will stand the test of fire without
deterioration. The "iower waters
of the perfumers' shops are made by
placing alcohol in the condensing tank,
which condenses and absOrbs the odor-
Gus vapor, until it becomes fragrant
and sweet. Most of the popular hand
kerchief extracts are made by skill
fully combining the odors of several
different flowers, which form a har-
mony of perfumes, and often, by be-
coming the pet fragrance of society for
a season, make the fortune of the
lucky inventor. Thus Jockey Club
and "Patchoully" in their day had an
extraordinary vogue, and filled the
pockets of their inventors. Paris Cor.
PHILADELPHIA Times.
LEATHER BOARD.