The Lee County journal. (Leesburg, Ga.) 1904-19??, 1908-04-10
a Field For Women.
Wilson Suggests Perfume Making
as Profitable and Pleasant ..............

Of wintergreen from salicyIic acid
and wood ether, and, naturally, our
trade was hurt, but we can produce
hundreds of other things, and find a
ready market not only here but in
foreign countries. I would be glad
to see some of our women who are
seeking profitable investments take
up this work. But, as said at the
outset, I am not in a position to give
facts and figures I have had too
much on hand to take up the ques-
ton, but am thoroughly convinced
that it would be an industry which
would furnish employment for many
and bring in good interest on the
money invested. The, details must
be gathered by studying the systems
employed in France, Italy, Germany
and other countries. If our good
women are in search of something
new and profitable In the way of in
vestment and employment the way is
open right here. The conditions are
entirely favorable for growing all
kinds OF flowers and bulbs, and it
will doubtless prove am industry
which would develop and grow with
wonderful rapidity
Government Willing to- Help.
Whatever assistance this depart
ment can give any one who may de-
sire to enter the flower. growing field
will be willingly and cheerfully Civ
en-. We are here for the purpose Of
furnishing whatever information we.
are enabled to gather by and from
our experiments and Investigations
along all lines, and it is the publics S.
simply for the asking. Our experts
are in the field continually, and what
ever they may learn is for the benefit
of our people. That is what these
Nnen and women are paid for. and it
is my wish and the wish of my CO.
workers that every man, woman and
child in this country shall feel that
they have personal interest in the
workings of this department. :"
Secretary Wilson is thoroughly I'M
earnest in all his work. This idea of
flower farming on an extensive scale
is not entirely new with him, but the
pressure of other work has been so
great that he has not had the chance
to, go into the matter as he wished.
1t would not take a great deal Of
study to convince the most skeptical
that the United States can compete
with the world in producing all kinds
of perfumery extracts. CALIFORNIA;,
Florida, Louisiana, and, in fact. al
most all the States in the Union have
soil and climate exactly suited for the
cultivation and production of some
kinds of rare flowers or bulbs The
first named State grows violets, car
nations and number of other flow
ers by the acre, and large amounts
OF extracts have been distilled. The
tuherose can be successfully grown
i'm Louisiana, Florida and other
Southern States, and it yields extracts
in abundance. Jasmine grows easily
and in great abundance in the warm
er climates and the extract is easily
taken and is worth about SIS a
pound.
Southern Louisiana produces the
most valuable orange trees and flow-
ers for the making of extracts, they
possessing a stronger odor and pro-
portionately more oil than those from
other States. The oil of neroli, dis
titled from orange flowers, is about
half as valuable as the ottar of roses,
but not nearly so expensive or trou-
blesome to make. The United States
imports large quantities of lavender
oil from Southern France, but Cali
fornia can furnish every ounce which
could be used in the United States,
and, too, the California article is said
to be far superior to the imported.
The same is true of rosemary, which
grows in perfection not only in Cali
fornia, but in a number of other
States. The citrus family gives us
many excellent perfumes, and be-
sides the almost innumerable flowers
which grow in the United States quite
a number of bulbs and plants yield
perfume oils in their native ground
wintergreen, sassafras, wild ginger
and swamp laurel-while the humble
sweet potato is perfume producing
root of great value. New York Trib-
une.