The Art of Perfumery, and Methods of Obtaining the Odors of Plants Part 3

Esprit de rose, 1/4 "

Oil of neroli, 1/2 drachm.

Oil of lemon gra.s.s (verbena oil), 1/2 "

ELDER (_Sambucus nigra_).--The only preparation of this plant for its odorous quality used by the perfumer, is elder-flower water. To prepare it, take nine pounds of elder-flowers, free from stalk, and introduce it to the still with four gallons of water; the first three gallons that come over is all that need be preserved for use; one ounce of rectified spirit should be added to each gallon of "water" distilled, and when bottled it is ready for sale. Other preparations of elder flowers are made, such as milk of elder, extract of elder, &c., which will be found in their proper place under Cosmetics. Two or three new materials made from this flower will also be given hereafter, which are likely to meet with a very large sale on account of the reputed cooling qualities of the ingredients; of these we would call attention more particularly to cold cream of elder-flowers, and to elder oil for the hair.

The preparations of elder-flowers, if made according to the Pharmacopoeias, are perfectly useless, as the forms therein given show an utter want of knowledge of the properties of the materials employed.

FENNEL (_Foeniculum vulgare_).--Dried fennel herb, when ground, enters into the composition of some sachet powders. The oil of fennel, in conjunction with other aromatic oils, may be used for perfuming soap. It is procurable by distillation.

FLAG (SWEET) (_Acorus calamus_).--The roots, or rhizome, of the sweet flag, yield by distillation a pleasant-smelling oil; 1 cwt. of the rhizome will thus yield one pound of oil. It can be used according to the pleasure of the manufacturer in scenting grease, soap, or for extracts, but requires other sweet oils with it to hide its origin.

GERANIUM (_Pelargonium odoratissimum_, rose-leaf geranium).--The leaves of this plant yield by distillation a very agreeable rosy-smelling oil, so much resembling real otto of rose, that it is used very extensively for the adulteration of that valuable oil, and is grown very largely for that express purpose. It is princ.i.p.ally cultivated in the south of France, and in Turkey (by the rose-growers).

In the department of Seine-et-Oise, at Montfort-Lamaury, in France, hundreds of acres of it may be seen growing. 1 cwt. of leaves will yield about two ounces of essential oil. Used to adulterate otto of rose, it is in its turn itself adulterated with ginger gra.s.s oil (_Andropogon_), and thus formerly was very difficult to procure genuine; on account of the increased cultivation of the plant, it is now, however, easily procured pure. Some samples are greenish-colored, others nearly white, but we prefer that of a brownish tint.

When dissolved in rectified spirit, in the proportion of about six ounces to the gallon, it forms the "extract of rose-leaf geranium" of the shops. A word or two is necessary about the oil of geranium, as much confusion is created respecting it, in consequence of there being an oil under the name of geranium, but which in reality is derived from the _Andropogon nardus_, cultivated in the Moluccas. This said andropogon (geranium!) oil can be used to adulterate the true geranium, and hence we suppose its nomenclature in the drug markets. The genuine rose-leaf geranium oil fetches about 6_s._ per ounce, while the andropogon oil is not worth more than that sum per pound. And we may observe here, that the perfuming essential oils are best purchased through the wholesale perfumers, as from the nature of their trade they have a better knowledge and means of obtaining the real article than the drug-broker.

On account of the pleasing odor of the true oil of rose-leaf geranium, it is a valuable article for perfuming many materials, and appears to give the public great satisfaction.

HELIOTROPE.--Either by maceration or enfleurage with clarified fat, we may obtain this fine odor from the flowers of the _Heliotrope Peruvianum_ or _H. grandiflorum_. Exquisite as the odor of this plant is, at present it is not applied to use by the manufacturing perfumer.

This we think rather a singular fact, especially as the perfume is powerful and the flowers abundant. We should like to hear of some experiments being tried with this plant for procuring its odor in this country, and for that purpose now suggest the mode of operation which would most likely lead to successful results. For a small trial in the first instance, which can be managed by any person having the run of a garden, we will say, procure an ordinary glue-pot now in common use, which melts the material by the boiling of water; it is in fact a water-bath, in chemical parlance--one capable of holding a pound or more of melted fat. At the season when the flowers are in bloom, obtain half a pound of fine mutton suet, melt the suet and strain it through a close hair-sieve, allow the liquefied fat, as it falls from the sieve, to drop into cold spring water; this operation granulates and washes the blood and membrane from it. In order to start with a perfectly inodorous grease, the melting and granulation process may be repeated three or four times; finally, remelt the fat and cast it into a pan to free it from adhering water.

Now put the clarified suet into the macerating pot, and place it in such a position near the fire of the greenhouse, or elsewhere that will keep it warm enough to be liquid; into the fat throw as many flowers as you can, and there let them remain for twenty-four hours; at this time strain the fat from the spent flowers and add fresh ones; repeat this operation for a week: we expect at the last straining the fat will have become very highly perfumed, and when cold may be justly termed _Pomade a la Heliotrope_.

The cold pomade being chopped up, like suet for a pudding, is now to be put into a wide-mouthed bottle, and covered with spirits as highly rectified as can be obtained, and left to digest for a week or more; the spirit then strained off will be highly perfumed; in reality it will be _extract of Heliotrope_, a delightful perfume for the handkerchief. The rationale of the operation is simple enough: the fat body has a strong affinity or attraction for the odorous body, or essential oil of the flowers, and it therefore absorbs it by contact, and becomes itself perfumed. In the second operation, the spirit has a much greater attraction for the fragrant principle than the fatty matter; the former, therefore, becomes perfumed at the expense of the latter. The same experiment may be repeated with almond oil subst.i.tuted for the fat.

The experiment here hinted at, may be varied with any flowers that there are to spare; indeed, by having the macerating bath larger than was mentioned above, an excellent _millefleur_ pomade and essence might be produced from every conservatory in the kingdom, and thus we may receive another enjoyment from the cultivation of flowers beyond their beauty of form and color.

We hope that those of our readers who feel inclined to try experiments of this nature will not be deterred by saying, "they are not worth the trouble." It must be remembered, that very fine essences realize in the London perfumery warehouses 16_s._ per pint of 16 ounces, and that fine _flowery-scented_ pomades fetch the same sum per pound. If the experiments are successful they should be published, as then we may hope to establish a new and important manufacture in this country. But we are digressing.

The odor of heliotrope resembles a mixture of almonds and vanilla, and is well imitated thus:--

EXTRACT OF HELIOTROPE.

Spirituous extract of vanilla, 1/2 pint.

" " French rose pomatum, 1/4 "

" " orange-flower pomatum, 2 oz.

" " ambergris, 1 oz.

Essential oil of almonds, 5 drops.

A preparation made in this manner under the name of _Extract de Heliotrope_ is that which is sold in the shops of Paris and London, and is really a very nice perfume, pa.s.sing well with the public for a genuine extract of heliotrope.

HONEYSUCKLE or WOODBINE:--

"Copious of flower the woodbine, pale and wan, But well compensating her sickly looks With never-cloying odors."

What the poet Cowper here says is quite true; nevertheless, it is a flower that is not used in practical perfumery, though there is no reason for abandoning it. The experiments suggested for obtaining the odor of Heliotrope and Millefleur (thousand flowers) are also applicable to this, as also to Hawthorn. A good IMITATION OF HONEYSUCKLE is made thus:--

Spirituous extract of rose pomatum, 1 pint.

" " violet " 1 "

" " tubereuse " 1 "

Extract of vanilla, 1/4 "

" Tolu, 1/4 "

Otto neroli, 10 drops.

" almonds, 5 "

The prime cost of a perfume made in this manner would probably be too high to meet the demand of a retail druggist; in such cases it may be diluted with rectified spirit to the extent "to make it pay," and will yet be a nice perfume. The formula generally given herein for odors is in antic.i.p.ation that when bottled they will retail for at least eighteen-pence the fluid ounce! which is the average price put on the finest perfumery by the manufacturers of London and Paris.

HOVENIA.--A perfume under this name is sold to a limited extent, but if it did not smell better than the plant _Hovenia dulcis_ or _H. inequalis_, a native of j.a.pan, it would not sell at all. The article in the market is made thus:--

Rectified spirit, 1 quart.

Rose-water, 1/2 pint.

Otto lemons, 1/2 oz.

Otto of rose, 1 drachm.

" cloves, 1/2 "

" neroli, 10 drops.

First dissolve the ottos in the spirit, then add the rose-water. After filtration it is ready for sale. When compounds of this kind do not become bright by pa.s.sing through blotting-paper, the addition of a little carbonate of magnesia prior to filtering effectually clears them.

The water in the above recipe is only added in order that the article produced may be retailed at a moderate price, and would, of course, be better without that "universal friend."

JASMINE.--

"Luxuriant above all, The jasmine throwing wide her elegant sweets."

This flower is one of the most prized by the perfumer. Its odor is delicate and sweet, and so peculiar that it is without comparison, and as such cannot be imitated. When the flowers of the _Jasminum odoratissimum_ are distilled, repeatedly using the water of distillation over fresh flowers, the essential oil of jasmine may be procured. It is, however, exceedingly rare, on account of the enormous cost of production. There was a fine sample of six ounces exhibited in the Tunisian department of the Crystal Palace, the price of which was 9_l._ the fluid ounce! The plant is the Yasmyn of the Arabs, from which our name is derived.

In the perfumer's laboratory, the method of obtaining the odor is by absorption, or, as the French term it, _enfleurage_; that is, by spreading a mixture of pure lard and suet on a gla.s.s tray, and sticking the fresh-gathered flowers all over it, leaving them to stand a day or so, and repeating the operation with fresh flowers--the grease absorbs the odor. Finally, the pomade is sc.r.a.ped off the gla.s.s or slate, melted at as low a temperature as possible, and strained.

Oils strongly impregnated with the fragrance are also prepared much in the same way. Layers of cotton wool, previously steeped in oil of ben (obtained by pressure from the blanched nuts of the _Moringa oleifera_) are covered with jasmine flowers, which is repeated several times; finally, the cotton or linen cloths which some perfumers use, are squeezed under a press. The jasmine oil thus produced is the _Huile antique au jasmin_ of the French houses.

The "extract of jasmine" is prepared by pouring rectified spirit on the jasmine pomade or oil, and allowing them to remain together for a fortnight at a summer heat. The best quality extract requires two pounds of pomatum to every quart of spirit. The same can be done with the oil of jasmine. If the pomade is used, it must be cut up fine previously to being put into the spirit; if the oil is used, it must be shaken well together every two or more hours, otherwise, on account of its specific gravity, the oil separates, and but little surface is exposed to the spirit. After the extract is strained off, the "washed"

pomatum or oil is still useful, if remelted, in the composition of pomatum for the hair, and gives more satisfaction to a customer than any of the "creams and balms," &c. &c., made up and scented with essential oils; the one smells of the flower, the other "a nondescript."

[Ill.u.s.tration: Jasmine.]

The extract of jasmine enters into the composition of a great many of the most approved handkerchief perfumes sold by the English and French perfumers. Extract of jasmine is sold for the handkerchief often pure, but is one of those scents which, though very gratifying at first, becomes what people call "sickly" after exposure to the oxidizing influence of the air, but if judiciously mixed with other perfumes of an opposite character is sure to please the most fastidious customer.

JONQUIL.--The scent of the jonquil is very beautiful; for perfumery purposes it is however but little cultivated in comparison with jasmine and tubereuse. It is prepared exactly as jasmine. The Parisian perfumers sell a mixture which they call "extract of jonquil."

The plant, however, only plays the part of a G.o.dfather to the offspring, giving it its name. The so-called jonquil is made thus:--

Spirituous extract of jasmine pomade, 1 pint.

" " tubereuse " 1 "

" " fleur d'orange, 1/2 "

Extract of vanilla, 2 fluid ounces.

LAUREL.--By distillation from the berries of the _Laurus n.o.bilis_, and from the leaves of the _Laurus cerasus_, an oil and perfumed water are procurable of a very beautiful and fragrant character. Commercially, however, it is disregarded, as from the similarity of odor to the oil distilled from the bitter almond, it is rarely, if ever, used by the perfumer, the latter being more economical.

LAVENDER.--The climate of England appears to be better adapted for the perfect development of this fine old favorite perfume than any other on the globe. "The ancients," says Burnett, "employed the flowers and the leaves to aromatize their baths, and to give a sweet scent to water in which they washed; hence the generic name of the plant, _Lavandula_."

Lavender is grown to an enormous extent at Mitcham, in Surrey, which is the seat of its production, in a commercial point of view. Very large quant.i.ties are also grown in France, but the fine odor of the British produce realizes in the market four times the price of that of Continental growth. Burnett says that the oil of _Lavandula spica_ is more pleasant than that derived from the other species, but this statement must not mislead the purchaser to buy the French spike lavender, as it is not worth a tenth of that derived from the _Lavandulae verae_. Half-a-hundred weight of good lavender flowers yield, by distillation, from 14 to 16 oz. of essential oil.