The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-06-26
Story of Orris Root
1t Is Prepared From the Iris For Pow
der and Perfumes.

der and Perfumes.
MOST people know that orris root is
one Of the chief ingredients of
violet powder. and many others are
well acquainted with the strangely
shaped pieces OF white root that seem
Ike dried ginger. which give out the
delicate and subtle scent Of the violet.
and perhaps the privileged few know
that IT is made from the roots OF
kind Of iris; but there, as a rule, their
knowledge stops, and so did mine
some years ago until I visited Italy,
and in the sunny land OF flowers
learned the story of the orris root.
High on one OF the many beautiful
hills surrounding Florence stands an
old villa inclosed in a garden. and such
garden. where nature and the gar
dener's art seem never at variance.
In that garden 1 renewed my ac-
quaintance with the iris. says a cor
respondent of the London Queen, and
remembered how years before had
been first introduced to it and to its
lovely cousin, the white FYorentine
iris, in the quaint old garden of the
Convent OF the Certosa, near Florence.
A brown robed monk had told US that
the roots Of the iris when prepared and
dried in the sun became the orris root
OF commerce, famous for making violet
powder. violet scent and other per-
fumes.
Never have I seen the cultivation
OF the iris and the preparation Of or
ris root to such perfection as last
summer in the Tuscan Apennines,
where Vallombrosa lifts its pine COW
cred head. Far away from its cool.
shady woods, on the sunny side Of the
mountains. lies the whole district OF
the Val d'Arno. and between Saltino
and Plan di SEQ the entire neighbor-
hood is given up 70 the cultivation of
vines. olives and iris. OF course not
exclusively, for Indian corn, wheat and
millet find place But wine, oil and
orris root are the three commercial
industries. Pergoias Of vines stretch
along as far as eye can see-vines
with clusters OF purple or white
grapes, olives laden with green ber-
ries, and under them and between
them little plantations or fields of Iris
dalmatica- The iris. or giaggolo, as II
is called In Italy. is planted thinly and
allowed to grow for three years, when
the roots are dug up and tied in big
bundles. These are then prepared.
Nearly the whole of the tuberous root
is cut OF, leaving only a tiny bit with
fbers in order that the plant may
grow when 1t Is replanted, as it is at
once for another three years OF peace
The tubers are then thrown into big
basins Of water, and the whole family
OF the contadine. or peasant, sitting on
the doorstep Of their houses or under
the pergolas in the shade OF the vines.
begin the business Of peeling them
previous to their being dried in the sun
for the market. "old men and maid
ems. young men and children" yes. and
even the wives and grandmothers. are
all busy with the small, sickle shaped
knives trimming the iris root. In its
fresh condition it is sold for about 20
confines the kilo-yiz, about a penny
pound. But after a few days ex-
posure to the brilliant Italian sunshine
on large wickerwork trays it loses
two-thiEds OF Its weight and is sold to
the wholesale merchants at ninepence
4 kilo.