The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-01-17
THE STORY OF ALTAR OF ROSES.
Origin of the Perfume and History of
Its Manufacture.

New York Times.
1t was in the days Of the grandmothers,
or possibly even the great-grandmothers
that the slender little bottle of altar Of
roses fiourished in all it's glory. 1t was then
that every fair dame, in her silk-quilted
petticoat and gay-colored bouffant draper
les, with her picturesque elaborate couture,
had on the top of her claw-footed high bu-
reau, or in the drawer with her greatest
treasures and daintiest articles of dress. at
least one of the sweet-scented Walls.
They were such pretty little things Of
clear glass, with quaint designs In gold on
the outside, long and slender, a pleasant
size to hold in any lady's fair white hand.
and suggesting all sorts Of mysterious
charms of the East, less known then than
now. Within the last few months there has
almost been furore among New York
women for some new-new to New York
and fascinating Eastern perfumes. and they
call to mind the little bottle of altar Of
roses, still in existence, but little heard OF
outside of romantic old novels. The new
perfumes are interesting enough in them
selves for at least a passing mention.
First on the list comes the Gul Rea Zee,
a Greek perfume named after the Persian
the festival which was in process of cele-
bration at the time when Lallah Rookh left
Delhi for Cashmere for the celebration of
her nuptials with the young King. Beauti-
fu, children strewed roses through the
streets of Delhi until every part of the
city was as fragrant as IL caravan OF
musk from Khoten had passed through IL. "
There is a sandal-wood perfume, reminiscent
of the sandal-wood boxes, also treasures
of the grandmothers. sweet scented and
&sf rA1 in, NH oh 10
fads and her love letters. The young woni-
an of to-day takes the perfume In this
form instead of in the box. which, ike the
altar of roses, is still in existence, hut not
so much household treasure as In years
past
There is Portocal Auzania, orange blos-
som; Viorenta oren. violet; Chiche. bou-
quet: and another Eastern treasure that
the girl of to-day has is a cream that her
grandmother would have given her eyes TO
have had, one that Ii Is guaranteed is made
from the very same recipe as that used by
the beauties in the harems Of Turkey, and
that has been used by them since as long
these are interesting, but they do not have
the same fascination as the quaint little
bottles of altar of roses, in every drop OF OF
which was the imprisoned fragrance OK
acres Of beautiful roses.
There is one rose that Is devoted to the
manufacture of the altar or the essential
oil, the beautiful red damask rose, the Rosa
Damascena, the very same rose with which
the young King had arches made and
thrown from hedge TO neCge IOr TWO miles
outside of Cashmere along the road which
Lalla Rookh passed on her journey, those
rarest roses from which the Altar Gul,
more precious than gold. Is distilled
Bulgaria is the chief country from which
comes the altar Kazanalik being the CEN
| ter and principal market place, while a
very considerable amount is also made In
| Germany. From Persia, the land OF ro-
nance and roses. there should be superior
| quality of the altar. but although II Is made
| there, the romance which surrounds 1t does
y a. o1f m
other lands. France has a little, but SD
| perior, altar. 1t is made in other countries,
| but in comparatively small quantities.
The process of manufacture after the
fields have been brought TO a perfection OF
| bloom is comparatively simple. Much de-
| ponds upon the climatic conditions for tho
perfect condition of the flowers. After a
| mild winter. with cool, damp. early sum-
mer, not too wet or too hot. though II may
be necessary TO resort to artificial irriga-
| ton TO bring the plant to perfection. the
| flowers come out in fine condition, and a
| large amount OF altar is the result. A hot
| southern wind during the picking in Bull
garia will ruin the crop even there. Hot and
| dry weather during picking Is also unfavor-
| ablefi but not so fatal
| The picking Is an interesting process. II
| is done by the poorer classes OF the people
| Each blossom is picked just below the
| calyx thrown into big baskets provided 70,
| the purpose, and then carted away 10 the
| distillery which Is near al hand. The
| flowers must be used Immediately. they
/ sour and lose their fragrance. The pickinf
| Is done In June and July. and lasts prac.
| tically a nonth-from the middle of one
| month to the middle Of the next.
In the vicinity OF the rose held In Ger