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Page 17
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 principally
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 grass 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
� 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 substituted for the fat.
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