Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1896-05-15
DOCTORING NATURE.
COLOR AND PERFUME OF Flowers
CHANGED BY CHEMICALS.

TO Secure New Effects In Shades and
FraEr.nce-Enorts to Produce . Blue
Chrysan themum.
Modern scientists and chemists have
no respect for nature They have lately
taken her most delicate creations, the
flowers of the field and the garden, and
attempted TO change their colors and
perfumes. Strange TO say, considerable
success has attended their efforts.
Mary fashionable florists. both in
American and European cities estab-
lished regular chemical laboratories in
connection with their lighthouses for car
rying ON this unique industry. The fad
comes originally from Paris by way of
london.
The first step in this direction con-
sisted in the artificial dyeing Of such
flowers rs the white carnation, the lily
Of the valley and the hyacinth. There
is well known New York florist who
frequently changes tie colors Of these
flowers to suit the whims and fancies of
his wealthy patrons. He finds that he
can successfully treat almost any bulb
Gus flower by placing it in solution
containing cxalic acid and the special
color which he wishes to impart to the
petals Of the plant.
1t was in this way that the "green
carnation," of which SO much was heard
4 year or so ago, was produced. A lily
Of the valley can be changed from its
pure white TO a delicate blushing pink
by placing the cut flower in red ink.
The oxalic acid in the ink opens the
pores Of the plant and allows the color
ing matter to be absorbed. This same
New York florist has long been trying
to produce blue chrysanthemum. with
the view Of pleasing the patrons of the
Yale football matches. He has not yet
succeeded, but he is firmly convinced
that it will only be a matter of time
before chemists enable the florist to
produce every known variety Of color in
Towering plants.
In perfuming flowers. and especially
in artiticially strengthening and reviv-
ing the natural odor, florists have gone
very far, and it would seem that in this
line there is really no limit In order to
revive flowers exhausted by time or car
riage, their extremities are immersed in
vessels containing a weak solution Of
sal aInmoniac. Their cdor is then
strengthened by moistening them with
an alcohol solution Of the perfume or es-
sential oil corresponding to the natural
scent.
This is done on q very large scale with
violets, roses, hawthorns, etc, the per-
fumes Of which are manufactured large
ly i'll France. Two such perfumes are
"violettine" and "geranioline. The
former is composed of 100 grams of al
cChol, 100 Of glycerin and 10 of essence
Of violet. The latter is similar prepa-
ration i'll which the essence of violet is
replaced by geranoil or artificial oil Of
roses. The glycerin in these preparations
is added in order to fix the scent, which
would otherwise rapidly evaporate.
A more scientific method of strength
enirg the odor of flowers before shipping
them or placing them on sale is fire.
quently used. They are put into wood
ell box cooled externally with ice. In
the bottom of this box lies a tube pro-
vided with perforations, and through it
is sent a current charged with carbonic
acid gas and the odor characteristic Of
the flower. Again, in order to fix the
oder, the flowers are sprinkled with q
very small quantity CT glycerin.
Not content with adding to the
strength of scented flowers by this
means, the flower dealers, aided by the
suggestions Of chemists, have gone the
1rperfb IS -
ural odors and substituting others. They
have given the fragrant lilac the odor of
the rose. the pink the perfume Of the
violet. and the humble cornflower the
aristocratic scent of the jasmine. 1t is a
delicate operation and one that does not
succeed with all flowers 1t consists in
immersing the flower in o bromide solu.
ton which divests it Of nearly every
trace Of its natural fragrance After this
it is washed and then perfumed with
the odor desired in the manner already
described.
The results of these attempts to i'm
prove upon nature are not always salts
factory. Flowers which have been doc
tored or revived by artificial means
rarely last long enough to afford any
pleasure to those who purchase them
There is, after all, nothing that can
rival the natural beauty and fragrance
of a flower as it comes fresh from the
garden or dollhouse, and happily there
are still millions of people who would
give more for the fragrance Of one sweet
violet fresh from the woods than all the
artificial productions Of New York or
Paris. Philadelphia Press.
A Slight Difference.