276 THE FLOEAL WOELD AND GAEDBN GUIDE. 



Whenever a still is named, or the article is said to be distilled 

 or "drawn," it must be understood to be drawn so by steam appa- 

 ratus ; and this is the only mode which can be adopted for obtaining 

 anything like a delicate odour, the old plan of having the fire imme- 

 diately under the still, conveying an empyreumatic smell to the 

 result, has become obsolete in every well-regulated perfumatory. 

 The steam-still differs from the one described only in the lower part, 

 or pan, which is made double, so as to allow steam from a boiler 

 to circulate round the pan for the purpose of boiling the contents, 

 instead of the direct fire. In macerating, the heat is applied in the 

 same way, or by a contrivance like the glue-pot, as made use of 

 now-a-days. 



This description of apparatus will be found very useful for experi- 

 ments, which we will suggest by-and-by. 



The perfumes, as found in the shops of Paris and London, are 

 either simple or compound ; the former are called Extracts, and the 

 latter Bouquets, which are mixtures of the extracts, so compounded 

 in quantity that no one flower can be discovered as predominating 

 over the odour of another ; and when made of the delicate-scented 

 flowers, carefully blended, they produce an exquisite sensation on 

 the olfactory nerves, and are therefore much prized by those whose 

 wealth enables them to indulge in such pleasures. 



EAELY HYACINTHS. 



j[HEN the first of September arrives, and the fields have 

 yielded up their produce to the ricks and barns, the 

 observer of Nature begins to catch, as from a distance, 

 the signs of the approach of winter. The breath of 

 morn has a different character, and evening pours down 

 colder dews. Leaves become sere and yellow, and, falling at our 

 feet, remind us that their work is done, and that very soon the 

 branches from which they have been driven will be completely bare. 

 To fch.3 gardener who loves his occupation still more numerous and 

 painful premonitions are conveyed of the decay of his favourites. 

 For, although the flower-garden is now more beautiful than ever, he 

 knows that loveliness is no guarantee of perpetuity. A frosty 

 morning will soon turn all this sparkling scene to blackness, leaving 

 nothing behind but withered foliage and unsightly stems. 



" Lover, trust not to her eyes, 

 When they sparkle most, she dies ! " 



But the amateur will be cheered with the reflection that, as the 

 revolving seasons consign one part of Nature's works to decay, they 

 call into existence new beauties, and that even winter will be graced 

 with a floral wreath. Among the flowers composing this wintry 

 garland the hyacinth is conspicuous, and its admirers should imme- 

 diately commence its cultivation. The moat frequent cause of failure 



