New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-09-10
PERFUMERY FARM.
AN UNTRIED FIELD FOR WOMEN
MEANS OF EARNING A
LIVELIHOOD
LIVELIHOOD

The perfumery farm remains untr1ed. however.
YET the Investigations Of the Department OF Agrf-
culture suggest II as a possibility by means to
be ignored There many flowers used IN making
perfumery 10 which the various climates Of the
United States perfectly adapted II their cult
ure We're undertaken scientifically
FIRST perhaps, in its claims attention is the
rose. Not only IS altar OF roses FIRST among per-
rurnery articles IN value OF importation, but
climate and soil large areas appear 10 be
mighty adapted TO growing while the distilla-
ton or the altar be begun without great outlay
or extended experience. The question IN respect to
the rose is not whether, or even where the rose
VIII grow but where the flowers will be rich
enough in oil and at the same time easily enough
produced to compete with other localities at home
abroad
y Z Saver, in his work on 'OdorographIa says:
IL is perfectly certain that under no conditions
is the odor of the rose) fully developed except in
very not climates, where the power OF the af-
lords the maximum benefit of light and heat" and
american authorities say that the climatic condi-
lions OF the South beginning perhaps with South
carolina. extending southwark TO Florida and
westward 70 louisiana, and also the southern half
OF California IN parts are well suited TO rose cult
ure- The essential conditions are abundant heat
ana sufficient but not excessive moisture and these
are found IN those States more perfectly than else
where. Land that depends upon irrigation is not
desirable atmospheric moisture must be fur
nished The soil must be naturally rich as heavy
uanurtng tends to lower the quality OF the perfume
producing blossom.
In Bulgaria, where Turkish altar Of roses is
mainly produced. the Industry Is carried on in
fertile valleys on the southern slope of the Balkans
where the climate is far from tropical there being
cold and snow in winter, abundance Of moisture
IN the spring and fall, and drouth in summer
Wheat and the ordinary cereals are produced In
the same region. The rose harvest begins abou4
the third week in May and lasts month
"A second great seat Of rose farming II Europe
IS me space between the Maritime Alps and the
Aeolterranean IN the extreme southeast Of France
and
cry plants are grown. and perfurnery materials
are also imported for manufacture This is the
great perrumery centre OF Europe. the town OF
Grasse being the emporium Of the district The
climate is genial but free from the visits OF
cold winds. and tender plants require protection
from frosrs- The climatic character OF the region
appears not TO be different from that OF our Gulf
coast.
Altar OF roses IS also produced in Asiatjc Turkey
N Persia and in India, the great bulk Of the
european and American supply IS furnished by the
! regions mentioned.
The roses employed for altar making IN Europa
are IN Bulgaria the red danask rose and in the
South Of France the Provence rose These are rs
garced as good varieties for experiment in this
country. An objection is that both are spring
boomers only except a short auturnnaI season
Tor the damask rose, but Europe has not yet pro-
duced rose that has the necessary freedom Of
bloom combined with the requisite quality and
quantity OF oil A high authority estates that the
GIoire de France has the true odor OF altar and
prove this true It would enable q grower 10 work
his plantation five six months in the year
The rose geraniun is important also being largely
used as aduterant of altar while it is used
also as legitimate perfunnery material not unlike
true oil OF rose.
Edward S. Steele. az the Department of Agri-
culture says; oh Of geranium is furnished by
three well known species OF Pelargonium. namely.
the common rose geraniurn Of windows and
gardens, the skeleton lsaVed geranium and the
meg geranIum grown IN greenhouses ETC. and TO
be recognized by its fragrance and by its round
crenate, undivided leaves, which are veIvety Ike
those OF q horseshoe geranium, though much
smaller
The Pelargonium IS grown for distllatton IN
Alg1ers, the island OF Reunion. Spain Corsica and
Italy, and in the peruery district OF the south OF
France. The best oil Is produced from plantations
in dry ground, where the plants are stunted IN
growth; but for the sake OF quantity they are row
grown II low moist, irrigated ground, where the
growth Is forced TO thirty inches and three crops
year can be gathered, though the product is much
inferior. The plant is harvested little before the
opening OF the flowers, when the lemonlike odor
which It at arst possesses gives place 10 the odor
OF rose The whole plant IS placed the still. and
II Provence rose petals ara sometimes added TO i'm
prove the quality.
There can be no doubt that the rose geraniUm
be grown IN abundance in properly selected
locations in the coast belt Of the South and in
Southern California E Moude, OF Jacksonville, Fla.
who has personally investigated geranium growing
in AIgiers. believes that the advantages IN Florida
are quite superior ana that oil OF geraniun can
be produced there fully equal TO the best French
He an6s that plants be maintained through the
winter by heaping Up earth around them few
inches the srumps sprouting freely in the spring.
There would De no profit IN planting so far North
that only one crop could be gathered in year
The oils OF the citrus family are important. In
this family Included the sweet orange. the bitter
orange, the bergamOt orange, lernou citron, sour
lime. sweet lime and shaddock, or grapefruit The
bergamot and citron oils and those Of lemon, lines
and orange are obtained by mechanical processes
inferior article BY dstiIlarion. The nerou or
orange flower, OIL IS extracted from the flower by
cisrillaton. The flowers as they naturally fall are
utilized, but the finest product obtained by pick
ing the buds from the trees when on the point Of
opening and removing the green part OF the flower
by hand
The OIL Of bergamot is the most valuable OF the
citrus oils. and IS often found in the market in
pure state Il Is produced almost exclusively in
the extreme south OF Italy. near Reggie.
Mr. Steele is strong believer in the capacity OF
Florida for perfurnery production. The flowers Of
The orange were long ago, and doubtless STILL
collected at New-Orleans and sold for pertaining
rooms.
Lavender. rosemary. thyme and orris root all are
SAID 70 present reasonable prospect OF successful
cultivation. a few American plants already yield
perfume oils, among them sassarras and winter
green.
Mr.. Steele. in his report TO the Agricultural De-
partment says
plants together with their crops and extract their
o"l perfumes. IN TINS case the per1umery crop
"ouiu De soc me, al least at the start.
4 small still Is not expensive, is the apparatus
roses for Instance. nigh: aside from the rough
work OF growing the bushes. be produced by the
5iola!Iy would be able 10 produce perfUmery when
TnG a kagtTr T-IV AIRY awrg Of zrV