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Page 11
As we cannot give any general rule for working, without misleading the
reader, we prefer explaining the process required for each when we come
to speak of the individual flower or plant.
SECTION III.
Whenever a Still is named, or an article is said to be distilled or
"drawn," it must be understood to be done so by steam apparatus, as this
is the only mode which can be adopted for obtaining anything like a
delicate odor; the old plan of having the fire immediately under the
still, conveying an empyreumatic or burnt smell to the result, has
become obsolete in every well-regulated perfumatory.
The steam-still differs from the one described only in the lower part,
or pan, which is made double, so as to allow steam from a boiler to
circulate round the pan for the purpose of boiling the contents, instead
of the direct fire. In macerating, the heat is applied in the same way,
or by a contrivance like the common glue-pot, as made use of nowadays.
This description of apparatus will be found very useful for experiments
which we will suggest by-and-by.
The perfumes for the handkerchief, as found in the shops of Paris and
London, are either simple or compound; the former are called extracts,
_extraits_, _esprits_, or essences, and the latter _bouquets_ and
nosegays, which are mixtures of the extracts so compounded in quantity
that no one flower or odor can be discovered as predominating over
another; and when made of the delicate-scented flowers carefully
blended, they produce an exquisite sensation on the olfactory nerve,
and are therefore much prized by all who can afford to purchase them.
We shall first explain the mode for obtaining the simple extracts of
flowers. This will be followed by the process for preparing ambergris,
musk, and civet, substances, which, though of animal origin, are of the
utmost importance as forming a large part in the most approved bouquets;
and we shall conclude this department of the art with recipes for all
the fashionable bouquets and nosegays, the value of which, we doubt not,
will be estimated according to the labor bestowed upon their analysis.
In order to render the work more easy of consultation, we have adopted
the alphabetical arrangement in preference to a more scientific
classification.
Among the collection of ottos of the East India Company at the
Exhibition of 1851, were several hitherto unknown in this country, and
possessing much interest.
It is to be regretted, that no person having any practical knowledge of
perfumery was placed on the jury of Class IV or XXIX. Had such been the
case, the desires of the exhibitors would probably have been realized,
and European perfumers benefited by the introduction of new odors from
the East. Some of the ottos sent by a native perfumer of Benares were
deemed worthy of honorable mention. Such as _Chumeylee_, _Beyla_,
_Begla_, _Moteya_, and many others from the Moluccas, but without any
information respecting them.
We are not going to speak of, perhaps, more than a tithe of the plants
that have a perfume--only those will be mentioned that are used by the
operative perfumer, and such as are imitated by him in consequence of
there being a demand for the article, which circumstances prevent him
from obtaining in its genuine state. The first that comes under our
notice is--
ALLSPICE.--The odoriferous principle of allspice, commonly
called pimento, is obtained by distilling the dried fruit, before it is
quite ripe, of the _Eugenia pimenta_ and _Myrtus pimenta_ with water. It
is thus procured as an essential oil; it is but little used in
perfumery, and when so, only in combination with other spice oils; for
scenting soap it is, however, very agreeable, and much resembles the
smell of cloves, and deserves more attention than it has hitherto
received. Mixed in the proportion of two ounces of oil of allspice with
one gallon of rectified spirit of wine, it forms what may be termed
extract of allspice, which extract will be found very useful in the
manufacture of low-priced bouquets.
ALMONDS.
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