180 



JOURXAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



with wood, which is abundant. The collection is always begun in 

 the lower regions, where the lavender blooms first. The available 

 material is collected, and distilled in the neighbourhood of collection ; the 

 apparatus is then carried to a higher point. In this way distillation 

 proceeds until the end of September, when the blossoms at the greater 

 altitudes are distilled. 



The stills are comparatively small — not capable of holding more, as a 

 rule, than fifty gallons, and the resulting oils are brought by the peasants 

 and their agents to the larger distillers and merchants in Grasse for 

 valuation and purchase. 



The distillation of lavender in England is carried out under entirely 

 different circumstances, large stills, in which as much as 12 to 13 cwt. 

 of lavender flowers can be distilled at one time, being used. 



The lavender crop is one that varies very greatly according to 

 weather. Taking this year (1906), for example, Messrs. Stafford Allen 

 & Sons, of Ampthill (fig. 32), inform me that the exceptional sunshine has 

 acted very favourably, and that the yield is a high one. From my own 

 observations, and from others, I am able to say that the yield recorded in 

 text-books is a misleading one. It is only on very rare occasions that it 

 reaches 1 per cent., and as an average of the past eight seasons 0'65 

 would be a fair one, which is less than the yield this year. I may 

 add, that owing to the unprofitable character of the industry practically 

 all the ground that was devoted to it in the Mitcham district is now 

 cultivated for other purposes. 



The process for the distillation of attar of rose differs really very 

 little in principle from that already referred to, but the industry is so 

 important, that perhaps some slight reference should be made to it, and 

 conveniently at this point. 



Practically the whole of the distillation of attar of rose is can'ied out 

 in the districts of Bulgaria, just above the ancient province of Eoumelia. 



The rose, of which two varieties are cultivated — the white and the 

 red — appears to flourish there, as a result of certain climatic conditions, 

 in a manner that it does not in any other district, and attempts to 

 introduce the growth of roses in the Riviera and other parts of 

 Europe have so far not met with any marked degree of success. 



A whole lectm*e could be devoted to an account of the cultivation, 

 distillation, &c. of attar of rose. The charge for each stiU consists, as a 

 rule, of 10 kilogrammes of flowers (22 lb.) to 75 litres of water (16 gallons), 

 taking the total capacity of the still as 110 litres (21 gallons). The yield 

 of oil varies considerably, but of absolutely pure attar of rose the yield 

 is not more than "03 to '01 per cent, of the flowers. 



Full details of the attar of rose industry are given in the interesting 

 publication of Cristoff entitled " L'Industrie des Eoses en Bulgarie." 



I do not here deal with the process of rectification of essential oils 

 carried out in some instances with steam, but to the more effective and 

 now frequently used vacuum stills. These stills are used for the elimination 

 of inodorous constituents of volatile oils from the odorous ones. 



