OILS 



Trade 



Perfumery. 



Imports. 



Exports. 



D.E.P., 

 vi., pt. i., 

 134-9. 



Two Methods 

 of Preparation. 



Jasmine. 



OILS, OIL-SEEDS AND PERFUMERY 



Burma. At the same time India EXPORTS soap, though the traffic is not 

 extensive nor very prosperous. [Cf. A. Watt, Art of Soap-Making, 1901 ; 

 see also JEgle Marraelos (p. 27) ; Agave (p. 35) ; Alkalis (p. 49) ; Cinna- 

 momum (p. 313) ; Cocos nucifera (p. 359) ; Fish (p. 547) ; Pinus (p. 890) ; 

 Eosa (p. 926) ; Sesamum (p. 986).] 



ESSENTIAL OILS AND PERFUMERY. This classification is con- 

 venient rather than logical. The separation between perfumes, cosmetics 

 and condiments is often extremely difficult and even sometimes undesir- 

 able. Though most of the articles indicated may yield oils chemically, 

 they are often used without having their oils extracted from them, just as 

 sesamum seeds are eaten in certain Native sweetmeats, where they serve a 

 purpose similar to the raisins and caraways in European cakes. 



The IMPORTS of essential oils, essential seeds and of perfumery are of 

 far less consequence than the exports. In 1901-2 the combined imports 

 were valued at Rs. 5,11,456 ; in 1902-3 at Rs. 4,96,622 ; in 1903-4 at 

 Rs. 6,56,617 ; in 1904-5 at Rs. 5,88,633 ; in 1905-6 at Rs. 5,94,433 ; 

 and in 1906-7, Rs. 6,34,111. The EXPORTS were valued in 1901-2 at 

 Rs. 22,44,404 ; in 1902-3 at Rs. 20,66,970 ; in 1903-4 at Rs. 20,71,940 ; 

 in 1904-5 at Rs. 23,50,385 ; in 1905-6 at Rs. 29,46,855 ; and in 1906-7, 

 Rs. 28,98,944. It is interesting also to observe that the exports of essential 

 seeds have been steadily improving for some years. In 1876-7 they stood 

 at Rs. 29,437 ; in 1901-2 at Rs. 14,58,241 ; in 1902-3 at Rs. 11,83,190 ; 

 in 1903-4 at Rs. 12,32,950 ; in 1904-5 at Rs. 16,09,137 ; in 1905-6 at 

 Rs. 20,74,818 ; and in 1906-7 at Rs. 19,20,257. The chief seeds exported 

 under this heading are Caraway (p. 284) ; Ajwau (p. 285) ; Coriander 

 (p. 427) ; Cumin (p. 443) ; Fennel (p. 552) ; Niger (Nigella, p. 811) ; Aniseed 

 (Pimpinella, p. 887) ; Fenugreek (Trigonella, p. 1081) ; and the like. 



Perfumery is one of the most ancient and honourable of Indian 

 crafts, and one which attains greatest importance at the present day in 

 Northern India. It is perhaps hardly necessary to go further back than 

 to the Ain-i-Akbari (Blochmann, transl, 73-89, etc.), where we read that 

 the great Emperor encouraged and fostered the art of preparation of per- 

 fumes and scented oils. This gives the suggestion of the two methods of 

 separating perfumes having been known from very ancient times, namely 

 enfleurage and distillation. One of the earliest and most instructive 

 accounts of the former, as far as India is concerned, was written by Dr. 

 Jackson of Ghazipur, in a letter to the editor of the Asiatic Journal of 

 Calcutta for June 1839 (in Edinb. New Phil. Journ., 1840, xxix., 198-9). 

 The following describes the method pursued in the preparation of jasmine. 

 " The Natives never make use of distillation, but extract the essence by 

 causing it to be absorbed by some of the purest oleaginous seeds, and then 

 expressing these in a common mill, when the oil given out has all the 

 scent of the flower which has been made use of." Dr. Jackson gives 

 particulars of the operation layers of sesamum seed (see p. 986) " wetted " 

 in water alternating with layers of jasmine flowers are covered over with 

 a cloth and left for twelve to eighteen hours. It may be added that, 

 according to modern European experience, jasmine is one of the perfume- 

 yielding products that must be treated by enfleurage, as it does not yield 

 its perfume in water-distillation. 



Turning now to the distillation process, Hoey (Monog. Trade and Manuf. 

 N. Ind., 107-8) gives an interesting account of ihegandhi or.itarfarosh and 

 his art and trade. He buys flowers from the malis (gardeners) and manu- 



820 



