x PREFACE 
to show that there is a subtle connection between odour 
waves and moisture in the atmosphere. 
The subject of fragrant leafage, and of honey or per- 
fume-yielding flowers and leaves, is becoming of more 
and more importance every day. Despite the cultures 
of savoury herbs, and the distillation of peppermint, 
lavender, roses, and other flowers at Carshalton, Mitcham, 
and Wallington in Surrey, or at Hitchin and other 
places in Herts and Beds, there is ample room for a 
much extended acreage of herbs for medicine or cookery 
or for the making of perfumes, so many of which are 
now imported from abroad. Enormous sums are spent 
every year upon imported flowers or roots, such as 
violets and lily of the valley, that might easily be grown in 
this country. Any legislation as to imports that will 
protect our home-grown food, products, and garden 
flowers, will be a great help to horticulture and 
agriculture as well. 
One of life’s great difficulties, nowadays, is to obtain 
pure and natural food and drink of every kind, and 
nature’s perfumes and savoury spices are of course the 
best for us in every way. 
The old days of thrift and domestic economy, when 
everything was ‘‘home made,” have gone, and nowadays 
most things edible or potable are made as cheaply as 
possible in large quantities to sell. Unfortunately for 
the consumer, both taste and flavours or aroma, as well 
as smell or odour, are easily imitated by the manufactur- 
ing chemist, and he like all experts must work for a 
dishonest manufacturer if he cannot obtain employment 
from an honest one. What the analyst can do on one 
hand the synthetic chemist can do on the other, and 
laws relating to food and drink are evaded, and very 
often with impunity. Even in cases where adulterants 
are not used, food products are lowered, coloured, and 
flavoured with success so far as the deception of pur- 
