The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1892-11-21
SECRETS OF PERFUSERY.
HOW the MANUFACTURER GETS
HINTS FROM NATURE.
Methods OF Making some Delicate
sesnts-Odors More Costly Than Gold.
Where Musk Comes From-Its Value.
The Ottsr of Roses.

| Where Musk Comes Erom-Its Value.
The Ottsr OF Roses.
As may be aid OF many other indus
tries, secrecy characterizes the manufac-
ture of perfume. In many instances the
heads OF the firms, 1t is said, themselves
clandestineiy prepare the principal parts
| OF their compounds. This has resulted
rather disastrously. The few really good
compounders in this country have been
unable to furnish a sufficient supply to
meet the demand, and many pretenders
have entered the field. In this way the
| American article has come to be looked
upon with distrust and the French brand
has the call.
Although the shelves of aswell stocked
perfumery bazaar exhibit "extracts " OF
almost every flower possessing desirable
| odor, yet not more than dozen blossoms
are used by the manufacturer. The chief
materials needed are scarcely more than
| two dozen-a few flowers, few herbs, q
| few spices and few balsamic substances.
| From these the man ufacturer produces
countless varieties, initiating blossoms
which are inaccessible to his hand or re-
fuse to yield their sweets TO his most
careful skill.
Take the delicate heliotrope for in
stance. 1t gives a fragrance resembling
the aroma of vanilla com mbined with the
sharper scent OF the bitter almond. The
heliotrope itself is both scarce and un-
profitable to the maker Of perfumes,
while the two latter substances are easily
obtainable. Taking advantage Of the
idea suggested the manufacturer adds to
vanilla tincture a small proportion Of
bitter almond ottar and sufficient rose
nd 70
ness and a floral character to the COM
pound and thus easily makes what is
really an excellent "extract of hello
trope."
Sweetbriar is also q fashionable and
much sought for odor. The perfume OF
the sweetbriar itself is so fieeting that no
means yet devised can isolate or imprison
il. But society had to be humored and
the compounder finally hit upon a way
out of the difficulty. The rose gave him
the foundation. A few other flowers
modified il and dash of verbena created
the artificial essence.
But inventive art reaches still further.
1t creates perfumes by compounding
odors which are unknown in nature.
Almost everybody is acquainted with
"Jockey Cub" "West End" "Mous-
selaine," Millefieurs" and many other
scents. Yet none of them has counter.
part in the flower garden or the spice
grove.
The most pleasing perfumes are those
that are distilled from the living flowers
or the flower of essences. But the public
demands at the same time that they shall
be lasting. These two conditions will
not mix naturally, and the manufacturer
finds himself compelled to get the lasting
quality artificially. This he accomplishes
with musk. In fact, musk is one of the
most essential as we'll as the most costly
material used in the manufacture Of per-
fumery, and could not well be dispensed
with. II must be used sparingly, how
ever, as il has powerful medicinal proper
ties. Too much OF it will induce headache
and cause nervous prostration.
Musk is a secretion derived from an
animal--the musk deer. This secretion
is anything but pleasant to smell in its
crude state. 1t is impossible to associate
such a foul odor with the fragrant smell
Of distilled perfume. But it is only one
Of the many peculiarities of nature.
The musk deer inhabits the great
mountain ranges of Central Asia. 1t is a
pretty creature about three feet long and
standing two feet high. The odor of
musk which envelops the deer and fills
the atmosphere is so strong that 1t causes
hemorrhages and even death when
breathed. The hunters, mostly China
men, cover the lower portion Of their
faces with thick cloth as a precaution
against such danger. But even that
doesn't save them at times. The deer
suffer the oftenest, however. When killed
the little sacs, or pods. as they are called
in the trade, are cut off and dried. This
is the only preparation necessary for
market.
The pods weigh about an ounce and are
worth $40 They are received in this
country packed in little lead lined, silk
covered boxes and each pod is separately
wrapped up in n bright colored paper
profusely inscribed with Chinese HERO
glyphics.
Another expensive ingredient needed
in the manufacture Of perfume is ottar Of
roses. 1t comes in copper canteens which
hold about twenty ounces. They are
valued at 500 apiece. According to Hin
doc tradition the ottar was discovered by
aprincess of that country who, while
walking in her garden, through which
ran a canal OF rose water, observed some
oily PARTICLES floating upon the surface.
These drops were collected and found to
possess SO delightful an odor that means
were devised to procure further supplies
of the precious liquid.
The present supply OF ottar is chiefly
derived from a small tract OF country on
the southern side OF the Balkan Mount
ians, in the Turkish province Of Roumelia.
IN. Y. Herald.