40 BOOK OF THE SCENTED GARDEN 
THE Strupy OF VEGETABLE OpouRSs 
I do not know of any other subject so worthy of study 
as this intricate one of odours or perfumes. We ought 
to educate our noses better than we do. The nose is 
really a sensitive organ, placed as a sentinel at the very 
entrance or gate-house of the lungs; and if our noses 
are not alert and faithful we lay ourselves open to all 
sorts of diseases or ills that fleshis heir to. ‘The odours 
or essential oils of plants are essentially antiseptic, and 
the wonder is that pathologists have neglected their health- 
yielding virtues so long. We have had Pfarrer Kneipp 
with his wonderful water cure; we have had the grape 
cure; and I hope soon that some clever specialist will 
start a hospital or ‘‘ scent cure,” in which sweet odours 
will play a part not inferior to other medicants that act 
only on the stomach, and leave the lungs to do the best 
they can alone. 
Even in the arts and manufactures the sense of smell 
is now and then, even if not often, very valuable. 
‘«<’The experienced indigo-dyer is said to know when 
the fermentation has reached its proper point by an acute 
sense of smell, where no more scientific tests are found 
to answer. Ifthe proper moment is not seized, the vat 
becomes useless.” —‘‘ The Life of William Morris,” by J. 
W. Machall, p. 317. 
FLORAL AND LEAF Opours ANTISEPTIC 
One good effect gained by diffusion of perfumes by 
the burning of fragrant herbs, or gum resins, in the hot 
and too often stuffy wards of hospitals in summer time 
would be the banishment of the flies that too often fret 
and irritate the restless sufferer. [hen we might adopt 
with advantage over the doors and windows of hospital 
or sick-room alike the perfumed curtains or awnings of 
fragrant grass called ‘‘ cuscus tatties” in the East. These 
