August 18, 1888. 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
809 
amongst a lot of other interesting subjects for in¬ 
spection. The plant was first described under the 
name of Lfelia Batemaniana, but has since been named 
by compounding a generic name from those of its 
parents, namely, Sophronitis grand iflora and Cattleya 
intermedia. It preserves the dwarf habit it possessed 
from the beginning, and is intermediate between the 
two parents. The sepals and petals are of a bright 
rose, flushed with scarlet, while the lip is totally 
different. It is three-lobed, with a rosy tube, par¬ 
ticularly the lateral lobes ; the throat is a clear yellow, 
and the terminal lobe of a rich purple. It first flowered 
in 1886, being raised from seeds obtained from the 
above parentage, and sown in 1881, so that the plants 
attained a flowering condition in a comparatively short 
time. A number of seedlings flowered, and the only 
apparent difference amongst them was that some 
had a smaller amount of the scarlet of the seed¬ 
bearing parent diffused through the rose. Our illustra¬ 
tion shows the plant’s natural size. 
-—>X<-*- 
THE ECONOMIC USES OF 
FLOWERS. 
We are so accustomed to 
flowers as the showy adorn¬ 
ments of nature, as the or¬ 
namentation of our gardens 
and greenhouses, and for the 
decoration of our persons 
and habitations, that we 
can scarcely conceive these 
being consigned to common 
uses ; but in this utilitarian 
age men strive to convert 
all natural objects into some 
technical employment of com¬ 
mercial value. Hence the 
fragile and beautiful flowers 
are distilled and prepared 
for their perfume, medicinal 
and industrial properties, 
and are even consumed as 
food. 
The trade in flowering 
plants and cut flowers is very 
large in all civilised coun¬ 
tries, especially so in those 
where the climate is not 
so favourable for their pro¬ 
duction in the open air as 
in tropical regions. From 
the south of Europe, with 
the facilities afforded by the 
parcel post, our florists 
and individuals now import 
daily great quantities of cut 
flowers for bouquets and 
button-holes. 
In great cities—especially 
London, Liverpool, Hew 
York, and Paris—a con¬ 
siderable trade is carried on 
in flowers. Holland sends 
away annually bulbs and 
flowers to the value of 
from £100,000 to £150,000. 
The Tulip mania of former years is well known. As 
the Dutch grow large quantities of bulbs, after ascer¬ 
taining the colour of the flowers, the blossoms were 
usually thrown away, until the demand for cut flowers 
in England led to shipments of these. This, however, 
was found to interfere with the sale of the bulbs, so the 
sale of the flowers has been stopped. 
A cursory glance at the varied uses of flowers may 
not be uninteresting. Their employment for perfumes 
is that best known. Aromatic principles are more fuliy 
developed under sunny skies. In tropical regions 
most flowers possess a potency of aroma unknown in 
northern countries, hence the perfumer looks chiefly to 
warm climates for his sources of supply. 
The Orange, the Jasmine, the Rose, and the Acacia 
thrive best in the southern parts of Europe, and the 
most odoriferous flowers, such as the Pandanus 
odoratissimus and the Cananga odorata, are to be 
found within the tropics. Mimusops Elengi is much 
prized by the natives of India for its fragrant white 
flowers, which are made into garlands. The hand¬ 
some, sweet-scented, white flowers of Mesua ferrea 
perfume the air to a great distance. The perfumed 
flowers of Soka (Pavetta angustifolia) are used in the 
East for making an essence, known under the name of 
“ ixora extract,” which has become a current article 
of commerce in the south of Europe. The Lotus- 
flower (Nelumbium speciosum), common everywhere 
in India (one with a white and the other with a red 
flower), is highly venerated by the Hindus, and is 
given as a valuable offering to their gods ; so are the 
orange flowers of the Nauclea cadamba. 
The showy and strongly-scented flowers of Plumieria 
alba, P. rubra and other species, natives of the West 
Indies and some parts of South America, have a 
delicious odour, and are greatly valued for distilling 
the perfume known as “ frangipanni. ” The yellow 
flowers of Melilotus officinalis, and other species, 
possess a peculiar fragrancy, which is due to the 
presence of coumarin, an odour found in the Tonquin 
Bean. 
From the flowers of Acacia farnesicina is made 
the essence and pomade of Cassie of the French 
perfumers. About 100 tons of these flowers are used 
at Cannes yearly, individual makers working up 
100,000 lbs. The fragrant white flowers of Blighia 
sapida are used for making a distilled water. The 
flowers of Spikenard (Andropogon Nardus), under 
SOPHROCATTLEYA B.ATEMANNIANA. 
the name of Serrbel, are employed in Algeria for 
perfuming hair oils and cosmetics. The aromatic 
white flowers of Bukul (Mimusops Elengi) yield a 
fragrant water by distillation. 
The Rose family, of which there are so many species, 
is much cultivated in different localities for the 
flowers to be used in perfumery as Rose water or 
Rose attar. The Provence, Cabbage Rose (R. centi- 
folia), will yield in the second or third year from 
100 to 200 bushels of flowers per acre, weighing six lbs. 
to the bushel. 
The culture of flowers is very general in Roumania ; 
nearly every peasant has a small corner of his garden 
devoted to odoriferous flowers and herbs. The 
Kezanlik Valley there is entirely given up to the 
cultivation of Roses. The essence made is sold 
wholesale in Paris at £30 to £40 per lb., but is 
retailed at double that price. The Rose harvest at 
Adrianople has been occasionally computed to yield 
about 94,000 ounces of attar of Roses, valued at 
£80,000 to £100,000, but the price has declined fifty 
per cent, since 1883. The average of the Bulgarian 
Rose harvests in the past ten seasons has been over 
57,000 ounces. The Moors, in Algeria, extract an 
otto which is not without value from the indigenous 
Musk Rose (R. moschata), with a double white flower. 
Twenty-eight tons of Rose leaves were imported into 
Aden in 1886, valued at £1,000, about half of which 
were shipped to India. The dried Rose leaves which 
we import from the Continent are often dyed with 
aniline. The finest attar of Roses is imported in 
tinned copper bottles, called “cappers.” In Turkey 
these bottles are known as kurkoumas. The oil, sold 
in small gilt glass bottles, is generally much adulterated 
with oil of Geranium or Ginger-grass. 
The Orientals have discovered that perfumes cool 
a room ; hence, their more general use in hot countries, 
as well as for counteracting miasma and unpleasant 
smells. 
The flowers of the Jasmine—the odour of which is so 
esteemed by the Eastern nations—serves in northern 
Africa to form garlands, with which the Moorish 
females ornament the interior of their dwellings, and 
they obtain a perfume by simply steeping them with 
oil in bottles, which are exposed to the sun. This pro¬ 
cess is also applicable to the flowers of the Tuberose 
(Polyanthes tuberosa) and the Cassia, the cultivation 
of which has been much extended, and both of which 
furnish delicious perfumes. 
The Daffodil yields a de¬ 
licious perfume, and Migno¬ 
nette is also esteemed for 
its fragrance. Hungary water 
is distilled from the tops 
of Rosemary flowers with 
spirit. Lavender flowers are 
generally distilled with the 
stalks as gathered. The 
oil is chiefly used as Lavender 
water, combined with Orange 
and Rose waters. 
The flowers of the Helio¬ 
trope emit a powerful odour, 
and are sometimes used fo r 
perfume. 
The Violet is an important 
perfume plant. Nice and 
Cannes use up about twenty 
tons annually, and one 
perfumer in Cannes distils 
12,000 lbs. There are many 
acres of the Russian and giant 
Violets grown at Mitcham 
and its neighbourhood ; the 
first is darker in colour, 
but the latter is most 
fragrant. They are tied up 
in bundles of twenty-five, 
and are sent to Covent 
Garden Market, from whence 
they pass into the hands of 
the retail flower girls. 
Orange flowers, as a per¬ 
fume, have no equal. "When 
placed in tin cans and 
sealed up they have retained 
their odour unimpaired for 
many months. In the 
south of France Orange blos¬ 
soms are largely collected. 
Nice alone uses up 120 tons 
annually, and one perfumer 
in Cannes purchases 140,000 lbs. ; from the flowers the 
essential oil of neroli is obtained. Orange-flower water 
is largely imported from the south of France ; it is one 
of the most agreeable vehicles for nauseous medicines 
that we have. 
Rosebuds brought from the garden of Tayf form a 
large article of trade in Djedda and Mecca. The people, 
especially the ladies, not only steep them in the water 
used for their ablutions, but boil them in sugar and 
make a preserve of them. The blossoms of the shad¬ 
dock or pumelo (Citrus decumana) are used for flavour¬ 
ing sweetmeats. The calyces or flower bracts of the 
Roselle, or Indian Sorrel (Hibiscus sp.), as they ripen, 
become fleshy, and being of a pleasant acid taste, are 
made into tarts, jellies and refreshing drinks in India. 
The petals of flowers are much used in Roumania for 
flavouring preserves ; Violets, Lime-tree flowers and 
Roses are especially used. Having regard to their 
flavour, delicate odours, and agreeable appearance, the 
variety made is almost infinite, there being upwards of 
150 kinds of preserves and confections made in that 
country.— P. L. Simmons, in the Society of Arts 
Journal. 
The Warwickshire Horticultural Show is 
announced to be held on September 4th and 5th, in 
connection with an agricultural exhibition at Rugby. 
