THE CITRINE ODOURS. 83 
collection in the spring have developed into fruits. These, 
when destined for the production of the oil, are picked while 
green. 
The Nerolis of the various Citri differ in odour from each 
other, and do not represent the true perfume of the flowers 
from which they are severally extracted, by reason of partial 
decomposition, modification or oxidation caused by heat, contact 
with water and hot aqueous vapour during the process of distilla- 
tion ; a finer perfume than Neroli being obtained by the process 
of maceration in pure warm grease. The same observations apply 
to the perfume of the rose. This process and that of absorption 
or “ enfleurage a froid ” are described in a previous chapter. 
The oil of “ Petit-grain ” above referred to was mentioned as 
far back as 1692 by Pomet in his ‘ Histoire des Drogues’; it was 
then distilled from the small unripe fruit about the size of a 
cherry, which fall from the tree shortly after the flowers ; they 
are called “orangettes.”” The name “ petit-grain,” or small seed, 
indicates this origin of the term. At present the oil of petit- 
grain is also made on a large scale from the leaves and young 
shoots of both the Bitter and the Sweet orange, the former being 
much more odorous than the latter, and worth twice the price. The 
leaves are gathered in districts of the Mediterranean where there 
are large plantations of Citrons. Citrons are generally grafted on 
to orange-stocks (seedling orange-trees), and these stocks during 
the summer put forth shoots which are allowed to attain the 
length of a few feet; they are then pruned off, tied up in bundles, 
and sent to the distiller. The strongest shoots are frequently 
reserved to make walking-sticks. The leaves of the Bitter orange 
are at once distinguishable from those of the Sweet by the odour 
given off on crushing them between the fingers. The oil of 
petit-grain is much used in perfumery, especially in the manu- 
facture of Hau-de-Cologne. 
Both the Bitter and the Sweet orange are abundant in Jamaica ; 
the oils are obtained by distillation, and, on an average, 580 oranges 
will weigh 180 lbs., and yield 12 ozs. of oil. The Government 
Chemist at Kingston kindly supplied me with samples of both oils, 
which, although very fine for distilled products, are not equal in 
fragrance to those obtained by the cold process in Europe. 
“ Orange-Flower Water.’—Referring to the fact that Neroli 
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