Great Exhibition of 1851. 147 



has availed itself of this fact, and sent to the Exhibition, in the 

 form of essences, perfumes thus prepared. Singularly enough, 

 they are generally derived from substances of intensely disgusting 

 odour. A peculiarly fetid oil, termed " fusel oil,'' is formed in 

 making brandy and whisky. This fusel oil, distilled with sul- 

 phuric acid and acetate of potash, gives the oil of pears. The 

 oil of apples is made from the same fusel oil by distillation with 

 sulphuric acid and bichromate of potash. The oil of pine apples 

 is obtained from a product of the action of putrid cheese on sugar, 

 or by making a soap with butter, and distilling it with alcohol 

 and sulphuric acid, and is now largely employed in England in 

 the preparation of the pine apple ale. Oil of grapes and oil of 

 cognac, used to impart the flavour of French cognac to British 

 brandy, are little else than fusel oil. The artificial oil of bitter 

 almonds, now so largely employed in perfuming soap, and for 

 flavouring confectionary, is prepared by the action of nitric acid on 

 the fetid oils of gas tar. Many a fair forehead is damped with 

 eau de millefleurs, without knowing that its essential ingredient is 

 derived from the drainage of cow-houses. The winter green oil, 

 imported from New Jersey, being produced from a plant indige- 

 nous there, is artificially made from willows and a body procured 

 in the distillation of wood. All these are direct modern appli- 

 ances of science to an industrial purpose, and imply an acquaint- 

 ance with the highest investigations of organic chemistry. Let us 

 recollect that the oil of lemons, turpentine, oil of juniper, oil of 

 roses, oil of copaiba, oil of rosemary, and many other oils, are 

 identical in composition ; and it is not difficult to conceive that 

 perfumery may derive still further aid from chemistry. 



IV. — Professor Lindley. 



1. South Australian Wheat. — If we take the subject of wheat, 

 which perhaps will be regarded by many as paramount to all others, 

 I think it will appear that there are some circumstances connected 

 with this Exhibition which particularly deserve to be brought under 

 public consideration, and especially one which, although the corn- 

 factors in Mark Lane are familiar with it, is by no means a matter 

 of universal notoriety — the high character and excellence of the 

 wheat that comes to us from our South Australian colonies. 

 There is now before us a sample of wheat from Adelaide, for 

 which we are indebted to the kindness of Messrs Heath and Bur- 

 rows, which is probably the most beautiful specimen of corn that 

 has ever been brought to market in any country. It is a white 

 wheat, in which every grain appears to be, like every other grain, 

 plump, clear- skinned, dry, heavy, and weighing — what may seem 

 incredible to those who are only accustomed to common wheat — 

 seventy pounds a bushel. And it appears that Adelaide is capable 



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