Los Angeles herald., 1892-02-01
They Are to Be Established
in Southern California.
A Plan to Start Perfume Fac
tories Here.
Expert Frenchmen at the Head of
the Enterprise.
II. j. Baldwin to Devote Part of the
Santa Anita Ranch to the Scheme.
Interesting Facts About
the Business.

article describing the results in the way
of flower farming for perfumery pur-
poses at several experimental stations
in this state, when reference was made
to certain Frenchman, who, it was re-
ported, was on his way to this state for
the purpose of investing considerable
capital in perfumery plant. Since
then the Frenchman in question has
been found in the person of J. P. Cava-
lier, whose name, by the way, is ia
miliar one in California's financial
history. His father was the first presi-
dent of the stock board, while he him
self was for many years the private Sec
retary of E. J. Baldwin.
s'Since my arrival here" said Mr..
Cavalier yesterday, II have been MAX
ing the necessary preparations to launch
the enterprise, and the company which
is to manage it is now in process Of or
ganization. Outside OF E. j. Baldwin l
am not at liberty to state what others
are interested. They are, however, all
moneyed men. An attempt at flower
farming was made a few years ago on
the Santa Anita ranch OF E. ]. Baldwin,
but for some reason or other the per-
fumery department was discontinued,
although the results proved most prom
Using. Il. Barnett, the London agent of
Messrs. Cavalier Freres, stated to me
that the jasmine pomade which he had
received from Los Angeles was equal to
the best made in France. Still another
essay at flower farming was made in
Florida several years ago. 1t did not
prove successful on account of the mex
perienced management, and also because
of the unfortunate selection of low lands
for flower cultivation. 1t may be said,
then, that the enterprise backed by
Cavalier Freres and encouraged by a
local company will be the first organ
lied attempt of the United States to
enter into direct competition with
France, not only as regards the finished
product, but also q competition in raw
material now so heavily imported into
this country"
Mr.. Cavalier stated that the flora of
California provides features and varieties
entirely new to the foreign market, and
he cited several examples.
''The flower of the prolific California
wild orange" he said, ''gives one of the
sweetest OF essences, known as 'neroli.'
It is necessary that the trees should be
shaken daily so as to expedite the matu-
rity of the ripened blossoms, which are
caught on linen sheets stretched beneath
the trees. Then again phase of the in
dustry entirely profitable to the horticul-
turists will be the purchase of frosted
oranges-oranges killed by the frosts,
thousands of tons of which are yearly
thrown away as useless. The zest or
outer skins of these oranges contain an
exquisite essential oil, known to the
perfumery world as Portugal Bouquet
and the company will be in position to
buy up this cast-off stock at rate rang
from 81 to IS ton. For the very finest
essence the petals of flowers alone will
be used; that is to say, the petals will
be used to the exclusion Of the stamens,
pistils and stems, the last being used to
make inferior essences"
Within short time the Cavaliers will
send to this state an expert perfumist,
with instructions to examine the lands
between San Diego and Los Angeles, in
order to pitch upon proper locations.
"The experience of French flower
farmers" said Mr.. Cavalier, lis abso-
lutely necessary to the success of our
enterprise. 1t will be for them to con-
suit proper climatic conditions, and
their intelligent cultivation will develop
the volatile oil of flowers by an increase
of at least 30 per cent. This would seem
startling statement, but little illus
trstion will make it self-evident. 1t has
been proved by analysis in Bulgaria,
where roses are cultivated, that roses
frrf h ST.
more volatile oil than roses grown in
the valleys. In other ways the most
exquisite taste and intelligence will be
pressed into service to make California's
new industry a success from the start.
For instance, the French perfumers
know that certain flowers become fra
grant at certain periods of the week and
hours of the day, and to get the best re-
suits the flowers must be picked at
those exact times. Generally, however,
the flowers will be gathered in the
morning as soon as the sun has dissi-
pated the dew of night. 1t is essential
that they should be dry when picked,
else fermentation would ensue and the
flowers would rapidly decompose. 1t is
Interesting to note that the volatile oil
in orange blossoms-so numerous in
California-are at the apex of develop
ment Immediately after the pregnancy
of the ovaries. In the latter stages of
flower pregnancy great heat is devel-
oped, SO much SO that the flower is actu-
ally carbonized by it. There is no rea-
son why this new industry should not
become notable in the states in
dustrial history. In Grasse, the
great perfumery center of France,
every land owner. however small raises
flowers for perfumery purposes indeed,
the flowers have daily quotations, Just
as mining stocks have in this city. The
distillers send their vans among the
neighboring farms and purchases are
made at market prices. California is
destined to enjoy many special advant-
ages in the way of supplying new flower
varieties. We shall deal heavily in
roses, however. All the scented roses
have a common origin, no matter what
new names are given to them from time
to time. In France roses sell from 5 to
II cents pound. They are subjected,
in Cannes and at Grasse, to the maeera-
tion process. Bulgaria now possesses
extensive manufactures OF rose water.
In 1873 the value of this branch of the
business in Bulgaria amounted to
So 500 900; and in 1880 to 5000, 900.
Nice and Cannes produce yearly $4,000
pounds OF violets; Nice alone 100000
pounds of orange blossoms Cannes and
its neighborhood $4,000 pounds of
orange blossoms, and Grasse and Cannes
- 49, n rrtfR Rfkr1r.