The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-08-09
Tons of Rose Leaves Used
Annually for Perfumes

{ contains ten liters of oil and condensed
water; it is removed, the aleInbic is re-
charged, and the process begun anew,
while the flask with the product is set
aside; the, altar of rose or oil which
| floats upon the surface is subsequently
taken off by cooling and condensation.
Some kinds Of roses produce the at
tar in much greater abundance than
others, the product also varying in
different countries. and it has been
| found by experience that the season
has much to do with the quantity OF
altar; a humid spring, with Intervals
| of warm sunshine. causing the petals
! to yield more literally than is the case
: in dry, hot season.
In Bulgaria 5000 kilos Of rose leaves
! produce one kilogram of the altar, and
| this is the yield of about one hectare,
or two and one-half acres.
A kilogram of altar is worth from
| 800f to 1,200f, say, an average OF ,0OOI,
and thus the Bulgarian realizes about
500 an acre for his crop, very fair
return for the amount invested and the
outlay >
In France the production is about
the same, 5000 pounds of-rose leaves
to a pound of altar, and 1T IS compul-
ed that the leaves of 100000 roses are
necessary to produce one ounce of the
OIL
In Algeria the roses are much less
productive, but in Cashmere and at
GhaZipur it is estimated that from
1900 to 1000 pounds of petals produce
one pound of essence. Only the red
rose is used for manufacturing the es-
sence; the white or yellow varieties,
while fragrant to the nostrils. appear
41,D io1 o1 Wy
forms SO valuable product.
An ounce Of the pure altar is worth
| from $100 to $3.50, and when it is re-
membered that the market price OF
| gold is only about $40 an ounce. some
| idea of the value OF. this marvellous oil
may be gained. The value Of the an
| nual yield of the Balkan rose district is
about 100000 worth of altar.
1t is France. and that portion stu.
ated south of the maritime range OF
the Alps that is known as the flower
garden of the world. No rain fails
here from March until September.
Here the village of Grasse is situated,
and for miles nothing but vista OF
flower gardens can be seen. Women
as well as men work on these flower
farms. which are owned not all to-
gether by the big establishments. but
by small farmers who sell the flowers
by the pound. -etE
The violet farms require constant ir-
rigation. The plants are generally
grown in fields where orange and LEM
on trees are planted. as the shade OF
the trees is a benefit to the growth OF
the flower. The violets are planted IN
rows, in order that they may be gath
cred without treading on them.
The growing and the gathering OF
the flowers is but the first step in the
making of perfumes. After the flow
ers have been gathered. then a6pomade
is made by allowing the flowers to lie
in contact with thin layer of very
pure fat, made by mixing suitable pro-
portions of lard and suet. after they
have been carefully purified. In most
cases it is necessary to. use = the cold
grease to obtain a satisfactory product
The pomades made in thfslswa are
then carefully melted and run into tin
cans, and in this form are sent all over
the world. 11en.received by the man
ufacturing perfuner they are removed
from the tins and washed with de-
odorized alcohol, which takes UP from
the grease the odoriferous substances
of the flowers. This washing" is
made the basis of all fine perfumes
and to it are added different oils and
substances which are derived from all
parts of the world.
The standard scent-plants are the
rose, rose geranium. citron. lavender,