The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-12-16
This comes from Bulgaria and

roses. This comes from Bulgaria and
! Asia Minor. The genuine article is made
! from roses, and its cost at retail is IN
| the neighborhood of 81 coo quart. OF
! something like cents for every drop.
(! There are two methods of securing the
| perfume of the flower-one by distiliation,
| the other by absorption. The former Is
The one employed by the makers of The
altar of roses. The roses are PICKED
! early in the morning, when the '!ew is
| on them. and placed in stills. The essen
I tiaI oil, being volatile. is taken up with
the steam, later rises in giobules in the
condenser, when II is SKINNED OFF the sur
| face of the water. The residue is rose
! water, and this is again utilized in dis
! tillation.
1t requires 5000 roses to secure
liquid ounce of oil or 500 pounds Of roses
| to one ounce of oil. This sells now at
! 81 10 IN ounce wholesale and the dealers
! claim that there is no profit in II at these
| figures The cans in which it is re-
ceiyed from abroad resemble the old
| fashioned army canteens They are made
| of timed copper and covered with a heavy
, jacket of felt.
Essential oils from other kinds of flow
ers are procured in similar manner. All
are expensive, the cost depending upon
| the rarity of the flower and the ease with
which the oil is extracted
| For instance, the essential oil of cloves
| is readily procurable and comparatively
| inexpensive. Wang ylang comes from our
| new possessions in the Philippines and
costs S. an ounce. Some of these distilla-
lions are made in France and other Euro
pean countries, though now there are two
concerns in this country. one OF them in
California. The bulk of these oils, how
ever. is imported. One class of flowers is
put in iquefied grease, made from bullock
fat. The grease has a natural affinity for
the perfume of the flower and draws II
out Then another lot is put in until all
the perfume has been absorbed. The oil
comes to this country in various degrees
of concentration. the strongest, of course
being preferable Some species of flowers
cannot stand even the moderate degree OF
liauefed grease used and when this Is the
case the grease is spread on thin layers
of glass and on these the Howers are
placed until the grease becomes thorough
ly saturated with the perfume. 1t is only
the cheaper perfumes OF which these eS-
sc tial oils form the basis.
There is at least 30 per cent OF raw ma
terial in the making of perfumes that lis
artificial. Musk has been initiated almost
perfectly and ylSng ylang exactly, and
so has neroli petale made from the petals
of an orange. which is one OF the main
ingredients of Farina cologne. Arti-
fetal heliotrope is really the only impor-
tant ingredient in the making of this
popu,ar Odor. The most expensive arti-
fetal perfume known Is what is termed
ionone. which, in its pure state. is worth
$3.50 an ounce. Ambergris is more eX-
pensive thpn musk. This substance is
diseased secretion of the sperm whale.
There is no certain supply OF it. 1t also
is used as a binder in making the finer
grades of perfume. Strange to saS, ii has
a pleasant odor.
The absorption process referred to is on
quite different principle, though equally
expensive. The essential oils are absorbed
by animal fat, spread on trays until thor
oughly saturated with the odor of the
flowers. They are shipped to the trade in
large metal pals. The absorption Of
odors by butter in an Ice chest will serve
as a bom,ly illustration OF the method.
To extract the doors from the fat the
latter Is simply washed with alcohol,
which, having greater affinity for the
essential oils in turn absOrbs them from
the saturated grease.
This method is known as 'pomade wash
ing." The machine used is similar 10 an
ice cream freezer. with huge stirrers turn
ed by machinery. The alcohol is washed |
through the grease by this machine until |
the essential oil is entirely absorbed. Then |
1t is drawn of and the grease sold to |
scapmakers. The art OF the perfuiner is |
in knowing what Odors will blend salts |
fac;oriy, and what will not. Several dis |!
agreeable odors combined will frequently |
produce agreeable result. Once he has |
secured his formula for particular kind |
of perfume the difficulty is ended The |
next step is ordinary filtration. Some