146 



JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



of ice and salt, by which a very low temperature is obtained. 

 The funnel, on a retort stand, and a small phial or other 

 receptacle below, is placed near flowering plants of Roses, Jas- 

 mine, Pinks, or Mignonette, Arc, and the 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 gathei\them dry when at their best and throw 

 them into a 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 (melange). 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, Carnations, or Roses ; 

 then add the rinds of two or three lemons (cut thin), an ounce of 

 orris-root (powdered), half a pound or more of bay salt, one ounce 

 of benzoin (powdered), ditto cinuamon, ditto cloves, ditto nutmeg 

 (powdered), one grain of musk, ten or twelve sweet bay leaves, 

 and one ounce each of eau de Cologne, lavender water, and 



