58 



THE LANCASTER FARMER. 



[April, 



market has been opened in the Korth for 

 shad and other species of fish caught in 

 Southern waters, and with which the marliet 

 can be supplied weeks in advance of tlie 

 Northern fisheries. In the cultivation of 

 fruit and vegetables for the markets of the 

 large cities of the North a most lucrative 

 business can be done. The extensive live oak 

 and yellow iiine forests of the South are able 

 to supply timber barren counties of the Old 

 World for at least another century or more. 

 As to the mineral wealth of the South, and of 

 North Carolina and Georgia in particular, too 

 much cannot be said. In the two last men- 

 tioned States the first discoveries of gold in 

 this country were made, and some of the most 

 profitable mines would now be in operation in 

 northern Georgia and the western portion of 

 North Carolina if the discovery of gold in 

 California had not diverted to the El Dorado 

 of the Pacific coast the great masses of for- 

 tune hunters in this country. I venture to 

 say, however, that there are gold mines in 

 North Carolina and Georgia, which, if 

 properly worked, would yield millions of 

 treasure per annum. No section of the Union 

 is richer in valuable iron ore deposits than the 

 northwestern portion of Georgia, where 

 Messrs. Noble & Son, formerly of Heading, 

 are engaged in conducting extensive iron 

 manufacturing establishments, and aie the 

 owners of thousands of acres of ore producing 

 lands. 



As to the "reign of terrorism" in the 

 South, this is a bug-a-boo wliicli should not 

 deter northern emigration. Many of the 

 most successful men "to-day in the South are 

 Northern men. The freednian has become 

 accustomed to his freedom, and is no longer the 

 victim of designing men. Recognizing the 

 fact that the acquisition of property depends 

 upon industry and frugality, he is devoting 

 himself with greater persistency to productive 

 labor, and tlie good results are seen on every 

 side. 



FLOWERS AND PERFUMES. 



A writer in one of the magazines says : 

 Odors are extracted from different parts of 

 plants and flowers— from the root, as in arris 

 and vitivert, the stem, as in cedar, sandal and 

 rosewood ; the leaves, as thyme, mint, patch- 

 ouli ; the blossom, as roses, violets, etc. ; the 

 seed, as the Tonquin bean, tlie caraway ; the 

 bark, as the cinnamon. But all tlie more 

 delicate odors are chiefly derived from the 

 corolla or blossom. After the orange — wliich 

 enters In some shape or form very largely into 

 the composition of countless essences, po- 

 mades, oils and cosmetics— one of the most 

 useful plants to the perfumer is cassie. It is 

 to be found in most of the favmite handker- 

 chief bouquets ; but alone it is too sickly 

 sweet an odor to be agreealile. It is exten- 

 sively grown at Cannes, and combines well 

 with orange flowers, rose, tuberose and vanilla. 

 Bergamot is another faithful ally of the per- 

 fumer. It is an essential oil, obtained by ex- 

 pression from the rind of a species of citron, 

 and is to be found in the majority of essences, 

 particularly in the celelira'ted Ens Bouquet. 

 Of itself it is not a particularly pleasant odor, 

 but combined with orris, musk, or other fixing 

 scents, it is very fragrant. It is best kept in 

 a cool, dark place, in closely stoppered bottles, 

 which applies to all perfumes except essence 

 or extract of rose ; so that when ladies keep 

 their perfume bottles on the toilet table in 

 sunlight and gaslight, or, as is sometimes the 

 case, on the maiitlepiece over a fire, they 

 should not be surprised if they soon lose their 

 delicate subtle odor; in fact the purer and 

 better perfumes arc, the more susceptiljle are 

 they to the influences of light anfl heat. It is 

 a curious fact that some of the sweetest flowers 

 are unavailable for the purposes of perfumery. 

 Sweet-brier, for instance, and eglantine can 

 only be imitated. No process has been dis- 

 covered by which their delicate perfume can 

 be extracted and preserved ; but spirituous 

 extracts of rose pomade, of flower of orange, 

 neroli oil— also produced from the orange and 



verbena — when cunningly combined, very 

 fairly imitate both. Lily-of-the-valley — an- 

 other useless flower to the perfumer, though 

 of exquisite scent in itself — is marvellously 

 imitated by a compound of vanilla, extract of 

 tuberose, jasmine and otto of almonds. Al- 

 most all lilies are found too powerful even for 

 perfumery purposes, and are therefore little 

 used, even in combination with other odors, 

 for it has been found in many instances that 

 they do not harmonize well with the " fixing 

 and disguising " scents in general use. Most 

 of the very sweetest flowers, it is said, are 

 only successfully imitated, as wall-flower, 

 clove-pink, sweet-pea. Magnolia is too ex- 

 pensive to be genuint). Myrtle is very rarely 

 genuine. Real sweet-pea there is none, and 

 heliotrope and lioneysuckle are cleverly made 

 up. Tuberose, vanilla, orange flower, violet, 

 rose, jasmine and cassie, with orris and viti- 

 vert, musk and ambergris, in proper propor- 

 tions and combinations, are the leading 

 ingredients in most perfumes. Mignonette, 

 sweet as it is in the garden, is almost useless 

 by itself to the perfumer ; and tuberose, one 

 of the sweetest, if not the very sweetest 

 flower that blooms, combined with jasmine, 

 makes the perfume called stephanotis. By 

 enflniragc it gives a most delicious extract ; 

 but it needs to be fixed immediately by a less 

 violent scent or it will immediately evaporate. 

 Fixed by vanilla or some other enduring 

 odor, it is one of the most charming and use- 

 ful essences in thy perfumer's repertoire, and 

 euters into the composition of almost all tlie 

 favorite handkerchief bouquets. Cassia, otto 

 of almonds, tuberose, and orris form two- 

 thirds of the violet essence generally sold. 

 The genuine essence of violets is only to lie 

 procured at special places and al exorbitant 

 prices. 



Of fixing or permanent scents the principal 

 are musk, vanilla, ambergris, orris and viti- 

 vert. Orris is perhaps more used than any 

 other, and enters largely into the composition 

 of all our popular dentrifices. From the 

 odors already known, we maj' produce by 

 proper combinations the scent of almost every 

 flower that blows, except the jessamine. It 

 is the one perfume that defies spurious imita- 

 tion. It seems almost needless to say that 

 otto of roses comes chiefly from tlie" East. 

 The rose fields of Kasanlik, in Roumelia, and 

 the sweet vallej's of Cashmere, give us the 

 attar gul renowned over the whole world. 

 But there is a very sweet otto of roses made 

 from the beautiful Provence roses that grow 

 to such perfection at Cenues and Grasses. 

 The flower has a rather subtle odor, arising, 

 it is .said, from the bees carrying the pollen 

 of the orange flowers to the rose beds. The 

 otto is ol^tained by maceration and enfleurwje. 



The whole south of Europe is what Jue 

 might call the perfumer's happy farming 

 ground. Canes and Nice are especially fa- 

 mous. There on the mild sea-coast grows 

 the delicate cassie that can barely bear a 

 blast; at the foot of the mountains tlie violets 

 are sweeter than if grown in the sheltered 

 valleys where the oranges, tube-rose and 

 mignonette attain such a marvelous perfec- 

 tion. But flowers are grown for jierfumery 

 purposes in mony other places. Nimes is fa- 

 mous for its rosemary and thyme, Nice for its 

 violets, Sicily for its lemons and bergamot, 

 and England is famous for lavender and pep- 

 permint, the latter always commanding a 

 high price in foreign markets, as it forms the 

 general mouth wash used on the continent. 

 The lavender grown at Mitcham and Hiteliin 

 is about eight" times the value of that grown 

 in France and Italy, and for ordinary use 

 there is no sweeter perfume than good laven- 

 der. 



.lust one word on the use of perfumes; and 

 it is moderation. Persons, places and things 

 are all the better and pleasanter for a little 

 sweet essence, but see that it is a little. If 

 some persons are too lavish in the use of their 

 favorite bouquet, and turn what was meant 

 for a refined pleasure into a vulgar nuisance, 

 their extravagance is to be avoided rather 

 than the perfume itself. 



Our Local Organizations. 



LANCASTER COUNTY AGRICULTU- 

 RAL AND HORTICULTURAL 

 SOCIETY. 



Tlie regular meeting of the Lancaster County Ag- 

 ricultural and Horticultural Society was held Mon- 

 day afternoon, April 5th, in their rooms in the City- 

 Hall. 



The meeting was called to order by the President, 

 Joseph F. Witmer. 



The following members and visitors were present : 

 The President; M. D. Kendig, Creswell; Casper Hil- 

 ler, Conestoga; Daniel Smeych, city; Frank Griest, 

 city; J. C. Linville, Salisbury; Henry Kurtz, Mount 

 Joy; C. A. Gast, city; Ephraira S. Hoover, Manheim; 

 F. R. Diffenderffer, city; Washington L. Hershey, 

 Rapho; Webster L. Hershey, East Hempfleld; J. M. 

 Johnston, city; Dr. S. S. Rathvon,city; H. M. Engle, 

 Marietta; J. B. Eshleman, West Hempfleld; Dr. C. 

 A. Greene, city; C. L. Hunsecker, Manheim; Peter 

 S. Reist, Lititz; W. H. Bollinger, Warwick; William 

 McComsey, city; W. H. Brosius, Drumore; John H. 

 Landis, Manor; Dr. William Compton, city; Israel 

 L. Landis, city; Isaac Hess, Manheim; S. P. Eby, 

 city; Harry G. Rush, Couestoga; A. D. Hostetter,* 

 Millersville. 



On motion the reading of the minutes was dis- 

 pensed with . 



Crop Reports. 



J. C. Linville said grain looks remarkably well. 

 Fruit buds are not injured; the prospect for a peach 

 crop is good. About half the oats is sown. The 

 fatted cattle have mostly been sold. All the clover 

 in his neighborhood has been killed. 



Henry Kurtz stated wheat as looking very well. 

 Clover fields are "spotty;" many of them are being 

 plowed down for corn. The tobacco men have also 

 been busy and some have plants already up. There 

 will be a little increase over last year. All the last 

 year's tobacco is sold; that still on hand has been ad- 

 vanced in price by the holders. 



H. M. Engle said wheat along the Susquehanna is 

 doing remarkably well; clover is poor everywhere. 

 The fruit crop is very promising. Pears won't yield 

 quite as largely as last year. Apples promise a 

 full crop. 



Joseph F. Witmer said clover in Paradise town- 

 ship has not "missed;" his own looks well; a little 

 oats has been sown; tobacco growers are getting 

 ready for their work. 



The Fair. 



Jos. F. 'Witmer reported having communicated 

 with the Northern .Market Company, who agreed to 

 let the society occupy the building during Wednes- 

 day, Thursday and Friday of any week in September, 

 at the price of $20, and the payment of the gas, 

 allowing the janitor to retain his stand in the mar- 

 ket. 



Dr. Greene stated the methods used in Berks 

 county to get up the premium lists and have them 

 published. He found that many farmers did not 

 belong to the society, and he thought inducements 

 should be otfered them. 



J. C. Linville thought the premium list should be 

 offered as soon as possible. 



H. M. Engle moved the society should accept the 

 proposition of the Northern Market Company. 

 Adopted . 



Reading of Essays. 



Dr. C. A. Greene read a lengthy essay on chemis- 

 try of soils and incidentally on chemistry in general. 

 (See page .53.) 



Wm. McComsey thought the essay contained 

 hints in the proper direction. We have given the 

 chemical properties of our soils too little study. 



Henry Kurtz said the essay was a good one, but 

 farmers were not enough advanced to understand it. 



He gave some of his early experiences in liming; 

 of the flne crops of wheat and grass raised by its use. 

 So with phosphate and fertilizers; they are srood, 

 but the farmers do not understand them. H3 is 

 afraid of some of these compounds and has been de- 

 ceived by them. 



J. C. Linville bad bought a good many fertilizers 

 and he is beginning to have eontidehee in them. He 

 said the composition had the aualysis printed on 

 the packages, as required by the State. We must 

 experiment as yet. We cannot analyze our soils as 

 yet. Our limestone soils contain fo'ir times more of 

 the elements to grow wheat than the wheat itself, 

 but it must be largely in excess to give us good 

 crops. He believed we should not put our fertilizers 

 on at one time, but apply it as we see it needs them 

 most. 



Casper Hiller said the essay was right in theory, 

 but we can't make it work in practice. Why this is 

 so he did not know. Soils vary in the same Held, 

 and yield different results. We must have certain 

 ingredients to grow corn ; now, which of these have 

 we already? He tried several experiments, and the 

 only thing that gave satisfactory results was phos- 

 phoric acid ; by applying this for years it would be- 

 come excessive in quantity, and he would have the 



