|
Main
- books.jibble.org
My Books
- IRC Hacks
Misc. Articles
- Meaning of Jibble
- M4 Su Doku
- Computer Scrapbooking
- Setting up Java
- Bootable Java
- Cookies in Java
- Dynamic Graphs
- Social Shakespeare
External Links
- Paul Mutton
- Jibble Photo Gallery
- Jibble Forums
- Google Landmarks
- Jibble Shop
- Free Books
- Intershot Ltd
|
books.jibble.org
Previous Page
| Next Page
Page 26
The essential oil of almonds in a bottle that contains a good deal of
air-oxygen, and but a very little of the oil, spontaneously passes into
another odoriferous body, benzoic acid; which is seen in crystals to
form over the dry parts of the flask. This is a natural illustration of
this idea. In giving the recipe for "sweet pea" as above, we form it
with the impression that its odor resembles the orange-blossom, which
similarity is approached nearer by the addition of the rose and
tuberose.
The vanilla is used merely to give permanence to the scent on the
handkerchief, and this latter body is chosen in preference to extract of
musk or ambergris, which would answer the same purpose of giving
permanence to the more volatile ingredients; because the vanilla
strikes the same key of the olfactory nerve as the orange-blossom, and
thus no new idea of a different scent is brought about as the perfume
dies off from the handkerchief. When perfumes are not mixed upon this
principle, then we hear that such and such a perfume becomes "sickly" or
"faint" after they have been on the handkerchief a short time.
PINE-APPLE.--Both Dr. Hoffman and Dr. Lyon Playfair have fallen
into some error in their inferences with regard to the application of
this odor in perfumery. After various practical experiments conducted in
a large perfumatory, we have come to the conclusion that it cannot be so
applied, simply because when the essence of pine-apple is smelled at,
the vapor produces an involuntary action of the larynx, producing cough,
when exceedingly dilute. Even in the infinitesimal portions it still
produces disagreeable irritation of the air-pipes, which, if prolonged,
such as is expected if used upon a handkerchief, is followed by intense
headache. It is obvious, therefore, that the legitimate use of the
essence of pine-apple (butyric ether) cannot be adapted with benefit to
the manufacturing perfumer, although invaluable to the confectioner as a
flavoring material. What we have here said refers to the artificial
essence of pine-apple, or butyrate of ethyloxide, which, if very much
diluted with alcohol, resembles the smell of pine-apple, and hence its
name; but how far the same observations are applicable to the true
essential oil from the fruit or epidermis of the pine-apple, remains to
be seen _when_ we procure it. As the West Indian pine-apples are now
coming freely into the market, the day is probably not distant when
demonstrative experiments can be tried; but hitherto it must be
remembered our experiments have only been performed with a body
_resembling in smell_ the true essential oil of the fruit. The physical
action of all ethers upon the human body is quite sufficient to prevent
their application in perfumery, however useful in confectionary, which
it is understood has to deal with another of the senses,--not of smell,
but of taste. The commercial "essence of pine-apple," or "pine-apple
oil," and "jargonelle pear-oil," are admitted only to be _labelled_
such, but really are certain organic acid ethers. For the present, then,
perfumers must only look on these bodies as so many lines in the "Poetry
of Science," which, for the present, are without practical application
in his art.
PINK.--_Dianthus Caryophyllus._--The clove pink emits a most
fragrant odor, "especially at night," says Darwin.
"The lavish pink that scents the garden round,"
is not, however, at present applied in perfumery, except in name.
IMITATION ESSENCE OF CLOVE PINK.
Esprit rose, 1/2 pint.
" fleur d'orange, 1/4 "
" " de cassie, 1/4 "
" vanilla, 2 oz.
Oil of cloves, 10 drops.
It is remarkable how very much this mixture resembles the odor of the
flower, and the public never doubt its being the "real thing."
RHODIUM.--When rose-wood, the lignum of the _Convolvulus
scoparius_, is distilled, a sweet-smelling oil is procured, resembling
in some slight degree the fragrance of the rose, and hence its name. At
one time, that is, prior to the cultivation of the rose-leaf geranium,
the distillates from rose-wood and from the root of the _Genista
canariensis_ (Canary-rose-wood), were principally drawn for the
adulteration of real otto of roses, but as the geranium oil answers so
much better, the oil of rhodium has fallen into disuse, hence its
comparative scarcity in the market at the present day, though our
grandfathers knew it well. One cwt. of wood yields about three ounces of
oil.
Previous Page
| Next Page
|
|