50 BOOK OF THE SCENTED GARDEN 
odour or odours evolved, together with moisture, are 
condensed outside the funnel and trickle down into the 
vessel below. Cut flowers may be used and the whole 
covered with a bell glass as here shown. ‘The perfumed 
water thus obtainable is very pure and perfect when fresh, 
but soon becomes sour unless alcohol is added. In this 
simple way any essential perfume is readily obtainable, 
and people may thus make and enjoy the sweetness of 
their own flowers. 
Another simple way of obtaining and fixing perfume 
from fresh flowers is to gather them dry when at their 
best and throw them into wide-mouthed bottle or jar 
half full of olive oil. If many mixed flowers are used 
the result will be a millefleurs, or mixed bouquet 
(mélange). After soaking about twenty-four hours take 
out the flowers and squeeze them into a horse-hair bag, 
letting the oil run back into the jar. Repeat this 
operation until the oil is saturated with perfume, when 
it can be mixed with an equal quantity of deodorised 
spirit or alcohol, and should be shaken up every day for 
a fortnight; after which the spirit may be poured off 
quite clear, and will be highly charged with perfume 
that was originally absorbed by the oil. Of course 
perfumes, like jams and preserves, can be bought cheaper 
than they can be made at home; still some may like to 
prepare their own supplies from their own garden all 
the same. 
Another way is to extract the odours of scented petals 
by effleurage. ‘The flowers are thrown into clean fat 
in shallow earthenware or glass vessels. Mix up the 
fat and the flowers and keep on adding flowers or scented 
petals from time to time, and when the fat has absorbed 
the perfume it may be dissolved out with pure alcohol, 
as in the case of the oil method. 
Pretty Oriental jars with close-fitting covers may be 
three parts filled with dry fresh petals of Pinks, Cloves, 
