Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1890-01-08
ACRES OF PERFUME.
Engiand's Lavender Fields and
the Flower Farms Of France.
The Commercial Classification of Odors-
Profit in the Cultivation of Sweet
Scented FlOwers-Napoleon's Daily
Bath in Eau do Cologne.

There is not a lady who perfumes nor
handkerchief, says writer in the Detroit
Free Press, but would be both surprised
and interested to know the magnitude of
the perfumery industry, the amount manu-
tactured, the money and machinery in
volved, and the countries from which
tribute is exacted. 1t sounds a little start
ling to say that Europe and British India
alone consume 10000 gallons of handker-
chief perfume every year; that the English
revenue from eau de Cologne alone Is $40,-
600 annually, and that the total revenue
from other imported perfumes is 100000 q
year. England imports annually from the
two Sicilies oils of lemon and bergamot
alone to the amount of $2S5, 900.
There is one great perfume dstillery at
Cannes, in France, which uses yearly about
100000 pounds of acacia flowers, 10000
pounds of rare flower leaves, 80, 900 pounds
of jasmine flowers and 10000 pounds of
tuberose blossoms, in addition to immense
quantities Of other perfume-yielding flow-
ers. In the extreme southeast of France the
flower farmers of the Var harvest annually,
on an average, nearly 500, 900 pounds each of
orange blossoms, rose and jasmine, and of
geranum, tuberose and jonquil 10000
pounds each.
There are extensive fields Of lavender
within thirty miles of London, the oil of
which produces annually $4,000 gallons Of
lavender water, besides large, unknown
quantity of perfumes with more pretentious
names. The plant is at its best between
its third and seventh year. 1t is harvest
ed In August, and immense numbers of
bees follow the vans to the distillery. The
production Of perfume-yi yielding plants at
Victoria, in New South Wales, is i'm
,,,.-
rosemary, wall-hower laurel, orange and
sweet-scented geranium, grow there in
greater abundance than in any other part
Of the world.
Sailors, while yet leagues at sea, know
when they are nearing the coasts of Spain
by the subtle perfumes which are waited
oceanward. Moore sings Of the roses Of
Cashmere and Bishop Heber of the spicy
breezes Of Ceylon. Quite an industry in
perfumed flowers has been opened up in
South Australia, the climate being adapted
to it. To judge by what Grouse saws in
his wealth Of California the latter
State is not lavish in odorous flowers.
They are gorgeous, and that is an But
the deficiency In fragrance of flowers is
amply supplied by the aromatic shrubs
and vines, such as mint, honeysuckle, sage
and fennel, which are especially abundant
In many parts of Los Angeles.
Some idea OF the extent of the production
and the profit In the cultivation of flowers
can be derived from the following state
ments, which have been amply verified:
An acre Of jasmine plarts, SO, ,0OOin number.
will produce 5000 pounds of flowers, valued
at $3.50; an acre Of rose trees, 10000 in
number, will yield 2,O00 pounds of flowers,
worth s375; 800 orange trees, growing on an
acre, viii yield, at ten years of age, 2,0OO
pounds Of flowers, valued at $3.50; an acre
OF violets, producing 1000 pounds of flow
ers, is worth $500; an acre of cassia trees
OF about 800 will, at three years of age,
yield 900 pounds Of flowers, worth $3.50; an |
acre Of geranium plants will yield some |
thing over 1900 ounces distilled altar, worth |
$4,000; an acre of lavender, giving oyer |
1850 pounds Of flowers for distil1ation, will |
yield a value of 81 500
Ottos (also written attars) are largely
used IN perfuming soaps, toilet powders |
tthe base Of which is starch and orrisl. |
dentifrices (made of powdered myrrh and |
camphor), and sweetmeats, largely |
lozenges, known by the names of pepper |
mint, lavender and rose. Odors are class,. |
fed and they blend into each other yerv
much as colors do. The odors of verbcna. |
lemon, bergamot, orange and citron are
Called iemon-like odors; the afmond-like |
Hs.SeS c.O hChoeIOpcs vanilla and violet. !
the spice odors are cloves. CHINA |
mon and cassia. The odora are extracte5 |
from various part Of the plants some. |
times from the Find, as in the lemon and
orange; from the seeds, as In the carawav
and nutmeg; from the roots, as in the |
orris; from the leaves, as In the sage. mini |
ana thyme; from the bark, as in the cassia /
and cinnamon; rosewood and saudalwood |
odors are taken from the wood. Certain |
perfumes are made for the market by mix
ing odopes 6pF instance: Jasmine and tube- |
rose produce hayacinth, and Jasmine and |
orange produce sweet pea. Such com |
mercial odors known as s,Sweet Daphne. - /
FEangipanni," !" etc, are made on this prin- I
ciple. s.. =
In ancient times perfumes were extern I
sively used IN religious ceremonies. The !
gods were supposed to be highly perfumed.
and hence burnt odors were especially ac. !
ceptable TO them. During the Roman games /
the awnings OF the amphitheater were
with scented water, and the /
Roman eagles were anointed With pesfulae Z.
before going Int hattie. later on we read
Of Nme. Taihea bathing m strawberry
Juice, and afterwards rubbed with sponpes
dipped IN perfume. Napoleon /. poured can
de Cologne over hls head and shoulders
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