Dec. 1, 1886.] 



T'HE TROPICAL AGRICULTtJRISTo 



3:^5 



Mr. Wentworth Scott, an eminent analytical chemist, 

 thus explains the atotion of the Eucalyptus : — 



" Eucalyptoles, a hydrocarbon of the Thymole type, 

 appears to be what might be termed the ' active 

 principle' of the Eucalyptus oil from a hygienic 

 point of view. The oil of E. globulus seems to be 

 the richest in this hydrocarbon, upon which its 

 * ozonizing ' property depends ; but the same body 

 with numerous homologues m varying proportion is 

 present in the oils secreted by all the plants of this 

 genus, hence the remarkable 'healthful character' of 

 the atmosphere in Australian forests.* 



The antiseptic powers of Eucalyptole are, I find from 

 crucial experiments, fully 3i times greater than those 

 of carbolic acid, while its use is certainly free from 

 tne danger that not unfrequently attends the latter." 



The Eucalyptus leaves contain as much as six per 

 cent of essential oil, which can be easily extracted by 

 distillation, and which will always find a market in 

 Europe, where the consumption is great. Not only 

 is it largely used in medicine, but it makes a capital 

 scent for ordinary toilet soap, and is still more valuable 

 as a deodorizer. It forms the chief ingredient in 

 Rimmel's Aromatic Ozonizer, a pine saw-dust im- 

 pregnated with that oil, which, by simple evapor- 

 ation, evolves the refreshing breezes of the forest, 

 and acts as an agreeable disinfectant in dwelling 

 houses or in places of public resort. 



Being an orchid, the flowers of the Vanilla require 

 the presence of an insect to fertilize them. This 

 insect exists evidently in Honduras, as numbers of 

 bunches of beans are found on the wild plants, but 

 where it does not, its action may be replaced artificially 

 by taking a little of the pollen which is deposited 

 on the anther with a sharpened pencil or knife blade 

 and letting it touch the viscous disk situated on the 

 front of the white column which rises in the centre 

 of ttie flower. This forms part of the instructions 

 issued by the Botanical Department in Jamaica for 

 the cultivation of Vanilla, and it would no doubt 

 prove a remunerative one if carried out with proper 

 care and attention, for it sells at a good price — 

 being used both by confectioners and perfumers. The 

 most esteemed sort in the market comes from Mexico 

 and there is no reason why the West Indies — possessing 

 a similar climate — should not produce an equal quality. 

 That grown in Mauritius and Reunion is deemed 

 inferior. There is also a good demand in Europe for 

 bastard Vanilla, or A'^anilloes {J^anilla pompona) and 

 for Tonquin Beans {Dipterix odorata) already men- 

 tioned. 



The only species of Orange Tree worth cultivating 

 for its fragrant products is the Bitter Orange (Citrus 

 Bigaradia), which is easily distinguished from the 

 others by -the peculiar form of its leaf, the petiole 

 being heart-shaped. A very fine essential oil, called 

 in Provence Xcroly, is distilled from its flowers ; 

 another one, called Petit-Grain, from its leaves, and 

 a third can be obtained from its rind by ex/yregsion, 

 as already explained. The edible Orange Tree (Citrus 

 Aurantiiim), yields very inferior essences, and the- 

 Lemon (Citrus Medico), gives but one from its rind, 

 which is not worth collecting when the fruit can be 

 gold whole, as it could scarcely compete with that 

 produced in Calabria and Sicily. If West India colonists 

 will attend to this warning they will save themselves 

 the disappointment experienced by the Florida orange 

 planters, who have been of late years attempting to 

 distil their orange leaves, and who, by emplojiug in- 

 discriminately those of all species and chiefly of the 

 edible orange, have produced a very coarse essence 

 of Pf-/!«-&rat«, which has been offered all over Europe, 

 but will only sell at a very low price. 



In conclusion, the manufacture of fragrant products 

 in the West Indies will, no doubt, prove ultimately 

 a safe and lucrative speculation, but it requires a deal 

 of study and attention. The first conditions of success 

 are to create plantations of suflBcient extent to obtain 

 the necessary quantity of flowers, and the training 

 of a skilled stall of operatives to work them. Dis- 



• Dry atmosphere-cleaves do not decay but are dessic 



tillation, when practicable, is the simplest process; 

 maceration and etifeurage are open to the danger 

 of the fatty basis turning rancid during the hot 

 season of the tropics. Another method might be tried, 

 and this is percolation, a system which Mr. llimmel has 

 brought to some perfection by means of an apparatus 

 of his invention, which he calls Myrogene. Freshly- 

 gathered flowers are placed in a sort of sieve, and 

 some prepared alcohol drops through them from a 

 great height and carries with it the most subtle 

 part of their aroma. This alcoholic shower, after pass- 

 ing two or three times over fresh layers of flowers, 

 becomes strongly impregnated with their perfume. 

 Mr. Rimmel has been using this apparatus on a 

 large scale for some time at his Nice manufactory 

 for drawing the scent from flowers which can neither 

 be distilled nor treated by the macerating process, 

 and a specimen in operation was shown last year at 

 the Inventions Exhibition. — JFest Indian Court Guide 

 Col.-Ind. Edkibitien, 1886. 



NOTES ON GEASSE AND ITS CHIEF 

 INDUSTRY: PERFUMES FROM FLOWERS.* 



UY WM. SADNDKRS, F.L.S. 



A few notes from this interesting old town, with some 

 references to its chief industry, may possibly prove of 

 interest to some of your readers. It is a land of flowers, 

 where a large proportion of the perfumes of the world is 

 made, and such an odd, out of the way corner of the 

 country that but few visit it. Here odorous flowers are 

 grown in immense quantities for the purpose of prepar- 

 ing the sweet scents in which civilized mankind and 

 womankind delight, and it is from this district that per- 

 fumers everywhere obtain the chief ingredients from 

 which by skilful combinations their celebrated perfumes 

 are manufactured. On the main line from Paris to Rome, 

 via Marseilles, about six hundred and sixty miles from 

 Paris, lies the town of Cannes, on the Mediterranean 

 shore, a noted health resort for invalids from Great Bri- 

 tain and other countries, the winter climate being remark- 

 ably mild and agreeable. Here a branch line of railway 

 about twenty miles in length brings the traveller to 

 Grasse. At Cannes the chain of mountains which for 

 many miles on either sides runs along the seashore re- 

 treats to some distance inland, and the route to Grasse lies 

 up through narrow valleys and broader slopes of hill and 

 dale. For the first few miles the general aspect of the 

 country is rather desolate ; vegetation seems parched and 

 stunted ; even the pine trees are dwarfed, and the way- 

 side weeds lack vigour. But soon vegetable growth be- 

 comes more luxuriant, fertile belts are reached, and fields 

 of roses, jasmine, mignonette, violets and other flowers 

 are seen on every hand, while groves of olive trees clothe 

 the hillsides, along with plantations of the vine and of 

 the fig tree. As Grasse is approached the valley widens 

 to about four or five miles, the mountain slopes are grey 

 with olive trees, and nearly the whole valley is utilized 

 for flower-growing. 



The town, with a population of about 12,000, lies high 

 up the mountain at the end of the valley, where the roads 

 and narrow streets are so steep that the occupant of the 

 ground floor of the back part of a house may often look 

 out of the third story at the front of it, and where the 

 quaint old houses tower up to six, seven, and even eight 

 stories high at the front. The route leads through fields 

 and gardens of roses, jasmine, jonquils, tuberoses, etc., up 

 steep winding streets and alleys, where long flights of 

 steps afford short cuts from one point to another in the 

 town, and where buildings hoary with age greet the eye 

 of the visitor at every turn. Mountain torrents steam 

 down the hillsides here and there, affording water power 

 for the ancient looking olive mills and means of irrigation 

 during the hot weatht r for the flower growers. These 

 streams also fill the public troughs with pellucid water, 

 where crowds of women may be seeing washing clothes 

 from early morning until dark. It is said that this town 

 was founded three hundred years before the Christian 

 era ; it is known to have been an important Roman 

 station, and its excellent water privileges must have been 

 a strong incentive to its early settlement, Nearlv all the 

 population excepting those engaged in mercantile busi- 



* ifrom the Fhanmceutical flecord, ~^ 



