12G AURANTIACE^. 



Chemical Composition — The essential oil to which the peel of the 

 orange owes its fragrant odour, is a distinct article of commerce, and 

 will be noticed hereafter under a separate head. The other constituents 

 of the peel probably agree with those of lemon peel. The substance 

 mentioned under the name of Hesperidin (p. 116) particularly abounds 

 in unripe bitter oranges. 



Uses — Bitter orange peel is much used in medicine as an aromatic 

 tonic, 



OLEUM NEROLI, 



Oleum Aurantii Jlorwni ; Oil or Essence of Neroli ; F. Essence de 

 Neroli ; G. Neroliol. 



Botanical Origin — Citrus vulgaris Risso. (See page 124.) 



History — Porta, the Italian philosopher of the 10th century referred 

 to (p. lis), was acquainted with the volatile oil of the flowers of 

 the citron tribe (" Oleum ex citriorum fioribus"), which he obtained 

 by the usual process of distillation, and describes as possessing the 

 most exquisite fragrance. That distilled from orange flowers ac- 

 quired a century later (1675-168.5) the name of Essence of Neroli 

 from Anne-Marie de la Tremoille-Noirmoutier, second wife of Flavio 

 Orsini, duke of Bracciano and prince of Nerola or Neroli. This 

 lady employed it for the perfuming of gloves, hence called in Italy 

 Guanti di Neroli.^ It was known in Paris to Pomet, who says^ the 

 perfumers have given it the name of Neroli, and that it is made in 

 Rome and in Provence. 



Production — Oil of Neroli is prepared from the fresh floAvers of the 

 Bigarade or Bitter Orange by the ordinary process of distillation with 

 water, conducted in small copper stills. The flowers of all the allied 

 plants are far less aromatic. The water which distills over with the 

 oil constitutes, after the removal of the latter from its surface, the 

 Oi'ange Flower Water (Aqua aurantii florum vel Aqua Naphoif of 

 commerce. The manufacture is carried on chiefly in the south of 

 France at Grasse, Cannes, and Nice. The yield is about 0"6 to 0"7 per 

 cent, of oil from fresh flowers, as stated by Poiteau et Risso.* The 

 flowers ©f the sweet orange aflbrd but half that amount of oil. 



Description and Chemical Composition — Oil of Neroli as found 

 in commerce is seldom pure, for it generally contains an admixture of 

 the essential oil of orange-leaf called Essence of Petit Grain. 



By the kind assistance of Mr. F. G. Warrick of Nice, we have 

 obtained a sample of Bigarade Neroli of guaranteed purity, to which 

 the following observations relate. It is of a brownish hue, most 

 fragrant odour, bitterish aromatic taste, and is neutral to test-paper. 

 Its sp. gr. at 11° C. is 0-889. When mixed with alcohol, it displays a 

 bright violet fluorescence, quite distinct from the blue fluorescence of a 



1 Menagio, Origini della Lingtia Italiana, ' Naph6 or Naphore — according to 



1685; Diet, de Trivoux, Paris, vi. (1771) Poiteau et Eisso, Hist. Nat. des OrangtrK 



178.— The tovra of Nerola is about 16mi]es 1873. 211, these names perhaps originated 



north of Tivoli. in Languedoc. 



^ Histoire des Drogues, 1694. 234. ii. * L.c. 211. 



