The times., 1897-04-11
SWEET PERFUMES.
To Preserve the Breath of Flowers
for Your Own Use Is Easy.


for Your Own Use Is Easy.
Since the days Of that musical old in
eendiary, Nero, fountains of perfume and
odor-reeking garments are no longer zen
reGe."
Perfume, however, is still necessary.
though restricted adjunct 20 my Iady's
toilet. But 10 is also expensive, and, more
over, is often so adulteTated that many
of the alleged triple extracts are mere
chemical compounds masquerading under
the aluring names Of the flowers they
represent.
BY making ones own perfumes both
economy and purit will be secured. and
at the same time dainty emplo yment will
be furnished for the summer days One
does not need access to the Vale Of Cash
mere nor the Valley Of Var in order 20 do
1t, either. a single thrifty rose tree. a
small bed of viole5s, a lilac or acacia bush
or a tangIe OF lilies Of the valley is quite
sufficient. The modern way OF extracting
perfumes s-fOr the stin, so popular with
the Egyptians, Is now out Of date, AZ least
for such innocent uses-is by means OF
grease. rather unromantic but effective
medium As long as a fragrant flower
breatheS for flowers do breathe in a way
it exhales perfume, and since pure grease
OF any sort is exceedingly sensitive to
Odors, absorbing them with great readi-
ness, it makes simple and very satisfac-
tory vehicle TO preserve this exquisite
breath.
There are two ways Of doing this One
is called 'enfleurage," which sounds
pretty, but is rather harder to manage
than the less artisticaIly named but
equally effective method OF ..macera-
tion.''
To use the first method sashes of glass
are necessary, old windows would serve
very We'll. The glass is coated with
grease. over this the flowers are thickiy
scattered and then closely covered As
the flowers die they are replaced with
fresh ones, until the grease is thorough
IS impregnated-which usually takes about
the length Of time that the particular kind
Of flower you are using remains in bloom
possibly a month.
The process Of maceTatiOn does not
require such an elaborate outfit 1t is
done by means Of what is technically
called u ''bain Marie" but when buying
one you need only to ask for double
lsoiier or oatmeal cooker The process
is simply cooking the flowers in the
grease until IL is thoroughly saturated
with their perfume. The grease must be
kept at very gentle heat, and as fresh
flowers are added the old ones are strained
out This process also takes about four
weeks. The grease is then dissolved in u
proper amount Of alcohol, and the result
is a perfume lasting and pure and cheap
withal.
Jasmine and tube rose are best treat
ed by enflemage, roses and aCaCias by
maceration, while vioIets and jOnquils
should have both treatments in the order
named, TO get the best effect. Mixing the
perfumes win often give surprising re-
suits. II yOu have been so fortunate as 10
spend a winter in Florida, you can have
a supply Of Jasmine and orange which,
mixed, viii give sweet pea. Jasmine and
tube rose make hyacinth, and violet and
tube rose, lily OF the valley
The use OF perfumes is a delicate art.
No lady cares 10 haTbinger her presence
by an aggressive Odor, but rather to
carry with her a delicate, subtle redo
lence, suggestive Of her character rather
than Of any particular brand of perfumery
To produce this result requires variety OF
odors. Devotion to one kind Of perfume
dulls the sense OF the user, and she is apt.
therefore, to apply it too layishiy. thus
bringing about the very result she
would avoid A certain lady who is often
asked what perfume she uses finds it hard
20 answer, for IL is orris rOotin her morning
bath, altar OF roses among her linen. and
violet sprayed ON her kerchief.
But the varieties should be chosen with
care. 1t must be remembered that there's
a relationship between odors just as be
tween tints and sounds, and they should be
used harmoniously-they should chord"
For example, acacia blends with orange
flower; geranium is improved with a bare
hint OF camphOr: rose is accompanied prop
erly with n bare suggestion of musk, and
il heliotrope is used for perfume al
mOnd meal perfumcd with almond is the
proper thing for the bath BY such judi
cious combinations is produced that elu-
Sive, indeScribdble fragrance character
of the personality. BY il is sUggest ted, not
roses, nor lilies. nor viOlets, but rather
what the Germans so prettily call blu
Eiengeist'-the very spirit of all nOweFs