Evening star., 1923-12-14
PERI FUME DEMAND
,,HEAW DURING 1928
Advertising and Prosperity
Make Luxuries Once More
Enormously Popular.
BY j. c. ROYLE.
Special Dispatch to the Star.

Special Dispatch to the Star
NEW YORK, December 14.-"This
is the perfumers' year"
That is the consensus OF opinion
OF the largest manufacturers and i'm
porters of perfumes in this country
and of the most prominent retail dis
trtbutors. The majority of these
members of the trade declared that
they have sold more perfume in the
last year than in any annual period
since 1918.
: What has made 1923 the perfumers'
year?
Among the factors listed by lead
ers in the industry is the increase in
advertising. c. l. Nelson, general
sales manager of Nivadou, declares
his company augmented its advertls-
ing appropriation 10 per cent during
the year. Other companies increased
their advertising by double that
amount. This has served to stimulate
interest and push sales.
Generally improved business con-
ditionS, however. have heen the real
governing factor Employment has
been general. The scale of wages
has been high and incomes have been
augmented by prosperity of COM
merce and trade.
buNuTieS again 10 'FRONT.'.
The period of retrenchment which
accompanied the bad years of 1921
and 1922 resulted in cutting down eX-
pendttures for luXuries and perfumes,
and toilet articles come largely under
that head. Present prosperity has
resulted in general loosening OF
the purse strings, especially OF the
purses carried by the feminine mem
berS of the community.
a third factor has been the ex-
Dloitation of the smaller and cheaper
package. In the past many of the
high grade products were offered
only in containers selling for SS. 81
and 50 each. The pockctbook of the
general public found those prices
beyond its limit and manufacturers
lot of business.
Movies Help Sales.
The dollar package has now made
Its appearance and is having tre-
nendouS sale, but sales managers say
that while novelties may stimulate
sales, business conditions bear the
real responsibility.
Retailers declare that the movies
have had an influence. especially
those plays giving intimate and
closeup views OF luxurious boudoirS
and dressing tables and druggists have
found that women nowadays are Sc
lecting different perfume for each
different costume rather than select
ing one odor and identifying II with
herself.
The prosperous position of the per-
tuners may be realized from the rec
ords of 1922, called a somewhat indif-
ferent year, when SS50.000. 900 was
spent for perfumes, cosmetic and
toilet preparations in the United
States The figures for this year Will
exceed this amount. Perfumes occupy
one of the leading places in holiday
buying.
Christmas Tree Demand.
Demand for Christmas trees has
been even larger. In the east supply
has been hampered by the embargo
on the shipment of trees from New
England because OF the gypsy brown
moth blight existing in that section.
New York, Philadelphia. Pittsburgh,
Baltimore and their environS normal
ly are supplied by contractors, who
secure permits to cut young trees
from New England farms and forest
lands, and who take their own gangs
into the woods in september This
industry was checked because trees
could not be shipped out.
As a result Canada was called on
to supply the markets. with Conse-
QueIit addition of from ] } to 90 per
cent in cost TO purchasers at retail.
Freight rates from Quebec province
and demurrage charges on cars left in
yards have added to the expense.
Then, too. there is duty on all Ca
madam trees imported.
Sold for Ten Cents Apiece.
Trees have been plentiful and of
good quality in the northern section
of the midwest, which has the Mich
igan and Minnesota and Wisconsin
woods to draw upon. But Omaha and
Kansas city are Clamoring for sup
plies from Colorado. where they are
being cut in the Pike national forest
and sold for 10 cents apiece The
far west is being adequately supplied
by, the California, Idaho, Washington
and Oregon forests, while the south
is drawing its supplies from Georgia.
Florida, Louisiana and Texas