Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-11-19
Perfumes From Flowers.

Think of collecting perfumes directly
from flower beds and converting them
into colognes and pomades-all by the
help of electricity and without bother
ing with the complicated apparatus
and elaborate processes hitherto en-
ployed.
That is what is accomplished by a
Washington scientist and inventor.
who has devised an electrical machine
which. when connected by wires and
zinc plates with n bed Of roses. for ex-
ample. will gather the odor from the
blossoms ard store il in bottles. In
asmuch as the roses go on blooming
and producing perfume steadily. and
the precious vciatilt altar Is drawn of
continuously. so long as the process Is
kept up. For every rose Is, on small
scale, perfume factory, its scent be-
ing due to an essential Oil which 1t
secretes.
Now, one advantage of the new pro-
cess is that the perfume gathered by
the electrical machine, as ii rises from
the growing flowers. is in a condition
of perfect ripeness, and therefore much
more agreeable to the nostrils than
that which is separated from the BIOS
SONS in the ordinary fashion. UnfOr-
tunately much of the perfume ordinar-
lily taken from the flowers is not quite
ripe, and therefore not at its best, while
certain impurities are necessarily alb
Sorbed in the processes, injuring the
quality of the cologne.
What is wanted is the natural and
finished bouquet" of blossoms grow
ing in the sunshine, and this Is what Is
obtained by the new electrical machine.
which acts so powerfully that. IL a
single rose be held in front of 1t 1t will
cause a pint of water to smell like
rosewater In six seconds by the watch.
When the work is being done for
business purposes. flower bed Is
electrically grounded-thnt is to say,
zinc plates connected with the machine
by copper wires are buried in the earth
of the bed. AS the odor particles rise
from the blossoms they are inductively
cha rged, and are then attracted to an
adjacent static terminal-in plain Ian
suage a metal knob with a hole in 1t.
through which the particles pass DOWN
ward into jar of alcohol and glycerin.
This is kept up until the contents Of
the jar are sufficiently saturated with
the perfume when IL is withdrawn and
replaced by a fresh one, says the st.
Louis Post Dispatch.
1t has Ions, been known that an odor
is merely an impression produced upon
the mucous lining of the nasal passages
by almost inconceivable minute
particles Of a substance flying about in
the air. In the case Of a rose. the
particulars in question are simply the
essential oil volatilized. The inventor
referred to claims to have succeeded In
rendering certain kinds Of odors visible
by passing them between electric
terminals. His first experiments with
the machine described were made. odd
ly enough, with ordinary punk, the
smell from which he was able to bottle.
He says that his perfected apparatus
| is able to attract odor particles from u
| distance Of five feet.
II the machine accomplishes all that
! is claimed for 1t, 1t ought to be Of Inn
portant service in developing a new
American industry which the Govern
| ment is most anxious to foster-nafne-
ly, the growing of flowers for perfume.
We import annually 100000 worth Of
colognes and $1,cOO000 worth Of raw
| materials for making perfumery pro-
ducts. whereas we ought to be able to
save this great sum by making the
scents for ourselves. In our Southern
States, and particularly in California.
| are Immense areas which are well
adapted for rose farming. The orange
blossoms thrown away by the carload
| in California ought to yield an altar
which is worth $3.50 an ounce: tube
| roses would do excellently In Florida
and the alluvill fats Of the South
would furnish ilxuriant crops Of the
equally valuabIe rose geranium.
In addition 10 The plants there are
| the violet and the lemon verbetia.
| which are perfume producers. Very
little real violet perfume Is on the
market. nearly all OF It being labora-
tory Imitation,