64 



HUTCHINSON'S POPULAR BOTANY 



and Marjoram, which all yield aromatic oils. Yet we must turn to hotter 

 countries for the perfumes most prized and coveted, and especially to the 

 inter-tropical regions. Thus Turkey (chiefly the Roumelian provinces), 

 Persia, and the Rajpootana States supply the fragrant attar-of-roses, which 

 is obtained by distillation from the petals of that flower. The quantity of 

 rose-petals required to furnish a teaspoonful of this princely perfume is 

 almost fabulous, and sufficiently accounts for the high price which the oil 

 commands. The London market is chiefly supplied from Roumelia, whose 

 average annual output is from thirty to forty hundredweight.* About 

 12,000 persons in this region depend entirely upon this source of income. 

 The Turkish attar is usually adulterated either with the oil of Geranium or 

 of the Indian Khus-khus Grass (Andropogon). There are two other kinds 

 of attar, both of Indian extraction namely, the Jasmine and Keova, the 

 former being a production of the Large-flowered Jasmine (Jasminum 

 gratidiflorum), and the latter of the fragrant flowers of the Screw-pine 

 (Pandanus odoratissimus). Then we have oil of cloves and of cinnamon, 

 of cumin and of camphor, of lemons and of bitter almonds, of turpentine 

 and eucalyptus all aromatic oils of more or less value ; while the peculiar 

 scent and great durability of russian leather is attributed to the employ- 



Photo &y] 



FIG. 93. ASPEN (Populus trermda). 



[E. Step. 



The Aspen is one of the Poplars, but has its smaller, more coarsely toothed leaves on longer flattened leaf -stalks which 

 allow of the constant lateral movements for which the tree is famous. EUROPE, N. AFRICA, N. ASIA. 



* It is said that 100,000 roses yield only 189 grains of attar ! 



