Evening star., 1898-12-03
PERFUMES ARE POPULAR
Have Ever Been in Great Demand Among
All Nations.
Balm in Judea and Arabia - Raising
Fragrant Flowers by the Ton
Origin of Lavender.
From London Society.

From London Society
The Bedouns perfume their handkerchefs
with an odoriferous earth called ares"
which comes from Alden, south of Arabia
and is in much requisition by the desert
Arabs. These nomad people use civet TO
anoint their bodies a substance of the
consistency of honey, taken from the anal
glands of the civet cat strong and offen-
sive in itself but agreeable when a very
small proportion is mixed with other To-
gradients. kitto says that Arabs do not
salute: they simply smell each other. IT
is common for parent to say, tAh, child,
thy smell is like Sen-Paga-Poo,' a flower
sacred to Chrisna." However agreeable
this may be TO the nostris of the Bedouin.
the mixture of the odors of dirty skins and
the strong civet perfume is combination
anything but pleasant to the European
nose.
PecuIiarities of Perfumes.
Some perfumes have a stronger scent than
others; some give out their fragrance at
special times. Certain flowers need the
warmth of the sun; some the soft rain and
others the cool night air before they ven
ture to throw out their redolence into the
atmosphere. Bartholm says: THE odor of
rosemary indicates the coast of Spain more
than ten leagues out to sea-" And another
writer declares that the whole air Of
south Asia is filed with the smoke ami
odor of perfume" In Capua there was
one long street called The Seplasia,"
which consisted enuIely Oh ve4l,. and
unguent shops. And in Bombay the great
er proportion of wares exhibited in the ba-
zaars are perfumes, of endless varieties.
In Ancient Times.
Balm was much priced by the natives of
Judea and Arabia, from whence it was
procured. Pliny says that Vespasan and
I1tus had shrubs of it growing in Rome
which We're carefully tended, the branches
being carried by the Romans in their tri-
umphal professions. To gather the balsam
was a slow ana tedious task. Alexander
the 1reat thought it fair midsummer
days work to fill ''concha" with balm
that Is, less than a thousanth part of "A
pint Cinnamon is an aromatic bark of
ouofous fragrance. 1t is a native of Cey-
ION ana india. kitto tells US that it is
precious and appropriate to religious use
II Is much valued, and was the first spice
sought after or procured in all oriental
voyages. ancient or modern" The Egyp-
tiahs and Romans held It in high esteem
Ileroaotos assures us that species of Gin
namon was taken from the nests of birds
ana also found sticking like lime to the
boards of goats. This substance was gath
cred, compounded and used as ointments
and salYes.
A Vast Flower Farni
Ihe south of France is the flower garden
OF Europe, Flower farming is extensive in
the Var valley, and covers about 11a.09o
English acres These gardens produce over
5000 tons of flowers annually Lavender Is
our English production, and is cultivated
about Hertford, Surrey. and several other
al3tflcts Its name, ''lavanduia," from
aware to wash, indicates its uss. which
was pertuming the baths of wealthy peo-
Ple. i's hoWers are considered excellent
NJ 1Tt uISoIuers OF the head and nerves.
1 mere are districts of lavender fields i'm
Spain and North Africa where it thriyrs
mostly on high sea levels Sweet as are
the influences of perfume as a panacea for
Wounds tonic for Tagging heaIth-a re-
treshment of the heat and dust-a luxury
t., 1ui tne tollet-and a delicious, permeating
sFatlilcatlon for the senses-we would st51
snort OF the custom of the Carmanf. who
hllhsie thelr companions blood with fra
grant Sheroet and quaff it as a pledge of
lFiehdshlp. sealing the compact with much
mutual m amounting of spkenards and attars
province of perfumes o