ROSEMARY. o71 
watered, and kept under cover during the winter. The following 
April they can be bedded out, 18 inches apart, in rows 4 feet apart, 
on a dry, calcareous, sloping ground—preferably with a chalk sub- 
soil. The chalk, into which the roots will penetrate, holds sufficient 
moisture in summer, and yet provides good drainage in winter. 
At the beginning of September the young shoots are carefully 
and evenly cut, with a strong pair of sheep-shears, right down to 
the wood; and the plants soon form a compact stunted hedge, 
about 18 inches to 2feet high. The old leaves remain on the plant 
a considerable time, not shriveliing off on the lower and inner 
boughs as do those of lavender. They want but very little manure, 
but on rich ground as much cinder-ash as possible. 
The young shoots and trimmings taken off at the end of August 
or beginning of September are distilled precisely in the same way 
as lavender-flowers ; but as much as possible of the woody parts 
should be separated, as they uselessly fill up the still and impart a 
turpentiny rankness to the distillate. If rosemary is not distilled 
very quickly after it is cut it is liable to heat, changing its cha- 
racter ; and if spread out till the next day it loses some of its 
fragrance. When put into the still the water should just cover it. 
The same still can be used as for lavender; but of course another con- 
denser. Also, as the particles of oil condensing are heavier and much 
smaller than those of lavender, it is necessary to employ a deeper 
Florentine receiver, so that they shall not be carried downward by 
the rush of water and escape by the waste-pipe. A piece of smooth 
wood floating in the receiver can also be used to break the down- 
ward current of the water. It takes rather longer to distil out the 
oil than does the same bulk of lavender. The oil which comes over 
during the first 30 minutes after starting boiling is the finest ; the 
receiver can then be changed, and the operation continued until no 
more oil is seen to come over. The oil should not be taken out of 
the receivers the same day, but stood in a cool place (or in water) 
until the next day, by which time the oil will be bright and can be 
removed. 
The new oil requires to be carefully dried with fresh calcic 
chloride, as the water held mechanically im suspension, or in 
solution, is very unpleasant, somewhat reminding of fish-brine, or 
trimethylamine. 
The oil is almost colourless, or with the slightest tinge of straw- 
colour ; it is very mobile and refractive. The sp. gr. of Surrey 
2B2 
