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Page 20
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
quantities 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 _Lavandul�
ver�_. Half-a-hundred weight of good lavender flowers yield, by
distillation, from 14 to 16 oz. of essential oil.
All the inferior descriptions of oil of lavender are used for perfuming
soaps and greases; but the best, that obtained from the Mitcham
lavender, is entirely used in the manufacture of what is called lavender
water, but which, more properly, should be called essence or extract of
lavender, to be in keeping with the nomenclature of other essences
prepared with spirit.
The number of formul� published for making a liquid perfume of lavender
is almost endless, but the whole of them may be resolved into essence of
lavender, simple; essence of lavender, compound; and lavender water.
There are two methods of making essence of lavender:--1. By distilling
a mixture of essential oil of lavender and rectified spirit; and the
other--2. By merely mixing the oil and the spirit together.
The first process yields the finest quality: it is that which is adopted
by the firm of Smyth and Nephew, whose reputation for this article is
such that it gives a good character in foreign markets, especially
India, to all products of lavender of English manufacture. Lavender
essence, that which is made by the still, is quite white, while that by
mixture only always has a yellowish tint, which by age becomes darker
and resinous.
SMYTH'S LAVENDER.
To produce a very fine distillate, take--
Otto of English Lavender, 4 oz.
Rectified spirit (60 over proof), 5 pints.
Rose-water, 1 pint.
Mix and distil five pints for sale. Such essence of lavender is
expensive, but at 10_s._ a pint of 14 oz! there _is_ a margin for
profit. It not being convenient to the general dealer to sell distilled
lavender essence, the following form, by mixture, will produce a
first-rate article, and nearly as white as the above.
ESSENCE OF LAVENDER.
Otto of lavender, 3-1/2 oz.
Rectified spirit, 2 quarts.
The perfumer's retail price for such quality is 8_s._ per pint of 14 oz.
Many perfumers and druggists in making lavender water or essence, use a
small portion of bergamot, with an idea of improving its quality--a very
erroneous opinion; moreover, such lavender quickly discolors.
LAVENDER WATER.--Take:
English oil of lavender, 4 oz.
Spirit, 3 quarts.
Rose-water, 1 pint.
Filter as above, and it is ready for sale.
COMMON LAVENDER WATER.--Same form as the above, substituting
French lavender for the British.
Recipes for Rondeletia, Lavender Bouquet, and other lavender compounds,
will be given when we come to speak of compound perfumes, which will be
reserved until we have finished explaining the method of making the
simple essences.
LEMON.--This fine perfume is abstracted from the _Citrus
limonum_, by expression, from the rind of the fruit. The otto of lemons
in the market is principally from Messina, where there are hundreds of
acres of "lemon groves." Otto of lemons, like all the ottos of the
Citrus family, is rapidly prone to oxidation when in contact with air
and exposure to light; a high temperature is also detrimental, and as
such is the case it should be preserved in a cool cellar. Most of the
samples from the gas-heated shelves of the druggists' shops, are as much
like essence of turpentine, to the smell, as that of lemons; rancid oil
of lemons may, in a great measure, be purified by agitation with warm
water and final decantation. When new and good, lemon otto may be freely
used in combination with rosemary, cloves, and caraway, for perfuming
powders for the nursery. From its rapid oxidation, it should not be used
for perfuming grease, as it assists rather than otherwise all fats to
turn rancid; hence pomatums so perfumed will not keep well. In the
manufacture of other compound perfumes, it should be dissolved in
spirit, in the proportion of six to eight ounces of oil to one gallon of
spirit. There is a large consumption of otto of lemons in the
manufacture of Eau de Cologne; that Farina uses it is easily discovered
by adding a few drops of Liq. Ammoni� fort. to half an ounce of his Eau
de Cologne, the smell of the lemon is thereby brought out in a
remarkable manner.
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