360 ODOROGRAPHIA. 
herbaceous, becomes overcharged with water relatively to its assi- 
milating and elaboratory power, especially if growing in a cold 
climate, and the equilibrium of the chemical proportion necessary 
for the formation of natural juices becomes deranged at the expense 
of the quantity and quality of the volatile oil produced. 
These facts, long ago pointed out by Linnzus, have been verified 
in England ; some years ago a disease manifested itself in most of 
the plantations, and not being understood by the growers, was not 
remedied (in fact is not generally understood and remedied at the 
present time), the acreage under cultivation decreased, and partly 
owing to this and a scarcity occasioned by a failure in the crop, 
the price of the oil rapidly rose from 50s. to 200s. per lb. ; conse- 
quently, with the continually increasing demand and the continued 
rise in price, manufacturers of lavender-water and compound per- 
fumes in which oil of lavender is a necessary ingredient commenced 
to buy the French oil, and venders of the English oil commenced 
to adulterate largely the English with the French oil. By degrees 
the French oil became almost entirely substituted, and at present 
it is difficult to purchase true English lavender-water of a quality 
equal to that vended twenty years ago, except at a few first-class 
houses. The exorbitant profits demanded by chemists and druggists 
and the incomprehensible will of the public to buy anything cheap, 
however bad, have encouraged a marvellous increase in the figures 
of the imports of French oil. 
In 1880, when the price had reached 125s. per lb., it was pointed 
out by an eminent London Firm of druggists that unless the culti- 
vation in England were extended, the price would become prohi- 
bitive ; inferior oils would be introduced into the market, and so 
destroy the popularity of this beautiful perfume. The price, still 
rising, did, in fact, induce this importation, and to this day the 
bulk of chemists and perfumers continue to use foreign oils at 
from 10s. to 18s. per lb. notwithstanding the fall in the price of 
English to 60s. (and it has been much lower). The constant 
demand, however, in America (where people still exist who will 
have things good) will yet support the price of English oil, which 
is the finest produced in any country. 
Attempts were made by a French manufacturing perfumer to 
establish a plantation in the South of France of plants taken from 
parent stems grown in England. ‘The result was, that the young 
plants deteriorated to their original condition—even in their native 
