The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1907-05-13
THE MAKING OF PERFUMERY
FREDERIC J. HASKIN :

OF foreign make. Wild ginger, known
as the Canadian snake root, yields an
aromatic oil that can be used in
Strengthening perfumes, the sweet;
leaved golden rod distills into an oil
that smells like anise, and the sweet
possibilities in the manufacturing line.
AS yet they have appealed little to the
practical side of man, and he thinks of
them still as only essential elements OF
beautiful landscape,
The ''dccr tongue" of Virginia. Caro-
lima and Florida is the basis of the per
fume known rs neWmown hay, but has
not yet been developed to its fullest as
an industry. The artificial vanillin, of
which we imnort $4,000 pounds a year,
is found in benzoin, assafoetida, beet
sugar, asparagus, pine rosin, Peru bal:
sam and potato peels, the majority. of
which can be found in America. Sci.
entists interested in the development of
the perfumery industry in this country
have recommended its manufacture as
a most interesting and lucrative occu-
patton for farmers wives and children.
The raising of many flowers and plants
would afford hcalthful outdoor occupa-
ton, and the distilling of the liquids
would only be a revival OF the delicate
tasks that the women of England in
Elizabeth's time and of America in
colonial days, all followed to certain
extent, each housewife making her own
essences and perfumes.
The process of obtaining the oils and
extracts are most interesting The OIL
from orange and lemon peels Is OBJ
tanned by running the peel through
press, or by rubbing it in n cup studded
with sharp needles, or by squeezing
the peel between the fingers and col
lecting the oil in a sponge. The odors
from flowers arc obtained by dlstllla-
ton. by maceration, or Inheurage. The
distilling follows the same process that
has obtained for ages with little change,
In maceration the flowers arc bruised
and Immersed IN heated grease and
after the grease has absorbed a full
amount of the odor, it is mixed in
great churn with alcohol, which prompt
ly robs the grease Of its sweet burden,
and the result is an ''extract.
The more delicate flowers, such as
violets and Jasmines, give OIL most
unpleasant odor when bruised, so must
be most carefully handled and the odor
taken out by the enneurage process.
Sweet lard that has been purified until
it is odorless is spread cold on glass
tray and thickly overlaid with violets,
rose petals or other delicate flowers,
and set away until the odor has been
absorbed. This process is repeated un-
til thousands of blossoms have been
used, then the alcohol is sent to receive
this breath Of Araby's perfume for
miladi S boudoir. Synthetic chemistry
has discovered many perfumes that do
not come from the flower for which
they are named. Lilacs is made from
tcrpinol. n form Of turpentine, violet
from ionine. an oil of lemon or lemon
grass, heliotropc from extract Of pepper
and oil of sassnfras, hyacinth from
bcnzyl alcohol.
Perfume has been used since the crea
tion. either for personal qualification or
as incense in worship, Cleopatra had
the sails of her vessel dipped in per
fume and incense was burned along the
banks of the Nile as she passed. Alex
ander the Great captured Darius per
fume basket, dumped out the rare
scents and used the box for carrying
his Had. Solon and Socrates forbade
the sale of perfume in Greece, but
Helen of Troy set the style there. and
later whom the fashion spread TO Rome
each matron had a special slave so per-
fume her, though Ceasar and Crassus
discountenanced the practice. The most
costly perfumes were IN Elizabeth S
time but the use OF it for men has
steadily declined since Beau Brummell s
day, when he wrote against it, Charlie
maguc had his palace walls daily washed
in perfume. and tho Empress Jose
phine's bath was of milk poured hot
over basin of vioIcts. The use has
spread more to the masses now, and is
in reach OF all. Tho famous balm of
Gilcad. however. is so rare that only
the Sultan may use it., aud the famous
gossiping centers of tho Greeks, the per
fumers' shops have given place 10 more
prosaic cafes and gardens.
Yankee Business Ingenuity will be