LIST OF PERFUMES, ETC., AND PLANTS WHICH AFFORD THEM. 167 



Sweet Flag (Acorus Calamus).— Long used as a perfume plant. 

 It was the common perfume of the Romans, but they prized 

 more highly the Roses of Paestum, Spikenard, Telinium, Mede- 

 bathrum, Onegalum, Balm of Gilead, and Cinnamon. 



Sweet-scented Golden Rod (Solidago odora). 



Syringa persica, &c. (Lilac). — One of the sweetest of hardy 

 garden shrubs. Forced Lilac is deliciously sweet. 



Tansy (Tanecetum vulgare). — Fern-like foliage aromatically 

 scented, and it is now and then used in order to try and keep 

 flies out of rooms. Used also in cookery, Tansy puddings, &c. 



Thyme (Thymus vulgaris). — A well-known garden herb and the 

 source of " Thymol," &c. T. citriodorus is " Lemon Thyme.' 

 There are many species grown as rock plants, all more or less 

 scented. 



Toddalia (Toddalia aculeata). 



Tonquin Bean = Seeds of Dipteryx odorata, Willd., from Guiana 0 

 Tuberose (Polianthes tuberosa). 



Tussilago fragrans (Sweet Tussilage ; Winter Heliotrope). — An 

 Italian plant naturalised abundantly near Dublin and else- 

 where, and flowering freely in January and February, when 

 roads and lanes are redolent with its Heliotrope-like perfume. 

 It is a dreadful weed in many Irish gardens. 



Valerian (Valeriana Wallichii). — Now and then used as an 

 aromatic, and in medicine more rarely as a stimulant and 

 antispasmodic. The dried root of Valeriana officinalis is very 

 attractive to cats, and is said to be employed by rat-catchers 

 to decoy their victims to their traps. V. celtica has fragrant 

 rhizomes used in toilet mysteries like Sambul. 



Vanilla (Vanilla planifolia, V. aromatica, and other species). — 

 The fruits or beans are long and dark brown, or chocolate- 

 coloured, and possess a very strong aroma, flavour, and per- 

 fume. The essential flavouring principle of Vanilla can now 

 be made artificially from Pine-tree sawdust. Both the natural 

 and the chemical products are used for flavouring chocolate 

 and other sweetmeats. Vanilla is sometimes adulterated with 

 Tonquin Bean extract. 



Vegetable Wax or Candleberry (Myrica cerifera). — The fruits 

 are coated with a waxy resin from which aromatic candles 

 are, or were, formerly made in America. 



Verbena officinalis (Vervain, Herb of Grace). 



