VARIETIES. 
273 
almost  instinctively  induce  man  to  attempt  to  separate  the  odoriferous  prin- 
ciple from  them,  so  as  to  have  the  perfume  when  the  season  denies  the  flow- 
ers ;  and  thus  we  find  the  alchemists  of  old  torturing  the  plants  in  every 
way  their  invention  could  devise  for  this  end.  Their  experiments  were  not 
wholly  unsuccessful ;  indeed,  upon  their  foundation  the  whole  art  of  per- 
fumery has  been  reared,  which  observation  applies  to  numerous  other  useful 
manufactures.  Without  recapitulating  those  facts  which  may  be  found 
diffused  through  nearly  all  the  old  authors  on  medical  botany,  chemistry, 
pharmacy,  and  works  of  this  character,  from  the  time  of  Paracelsus  to  Cel- 
nart,  we  may  state  at  once  the  mode  of  operation  adopted  by  the  practical 
perfumer  of  the  present  day  for  preparing  the  various  extracts  or  essences, 
waters,  oils,  pomades,  &c,  used  in  his  calling. 
The  processes  are  divided  into  four  distinct  operations  ;viz. — 
1.  Expression  ;  2.  Distillations  ;  3.  Maceration;  4.  Absorption. 
[The  two  first  processes  for  volatile  oils  are  so  well  described  in  the  dis- 
pensatories, that  they  have  been  omitted  here.] 
3.  Maceration. — Of  all  the  processes  for  procuring  the  perfumes  of  flowers, 
this  is  the  most  important  to  the  perfumer,  and  is  the  least  understood  in 
England  ;  as  this  operation  yields  not  only  the  most  exquisite  essences  in- 
directly, but  also  nearly  all  those  fine  pomades  known  here  as  "  French 
Pomatums,"  so  much  admired  for  the  strength  of  fragrance,  together  with 
"  French  oils"  equally  perfumed.  The  operation  is  conducted  thus  : — For 
what  is  called  pomade,  a  certain  quantity  of  purified  mutton  or  deer  suetiis 
put  into  a  clean  metal  or  porcelain  pan,  this  being  melted  by  a  steam  heat : 
the  kind  of  flowers  required  for  the  odor  wanted  are  carefully  picked  and 
put  into  the  liquid  fat,  and  allowed  to  remain  from  twelve  to  forty-eight 
hours  ;  the  fat  has  a  particular  afiinity  or  attraction  for  the  oil  of  flowers,  and 
thus,  as  it  were,  draws  it  out  of  them,  and  becomes  itself,  by  their  aid,  high- 
ly perfumed ;  the  fat  is  strained  from  the  spent  flowers,  and  fresh  are  added 
four  or  five  times  over,  till  the  pomade  is  of  the  required  strength ;  these 
various  strengths  of  pomatums  are  noted  by  the  French  makers  as  Nos.  6, 
12,  18,  and  24,  the  higher  numerals  indicating  the  amount  of  fragrance  in 
them.  For  perfumed  oils  the  same  operation  is  followed,  but  in  lieu  of  suet, 
fine  olive  oil  or  oil  of  ben  is  used,  and  the  same  results  are  obtained.  These 
oils  are  called  "  Hail'e  Antiques"  of  such  and  such  a  flower. 
When  neither  of  the  foregoing  processes  give  satisfactory  results,  the 
method  of  procedure  adopted  is  by, 
4.  Absorption,  or  En  Fieurage. — The  odors  of  some  flowers  are  so  deli- 
cate and  volatile,  that  the  heat  required  in  the  previously  named  processes 
would  greatly  modify,  if  not  entirely  spoil  them  ;  this  process  is,  therefore, 
conducted  cold,  thus  : — Square  frames,  about  three  inches  deep,  with  a  glass 
bottom,  say  two  feet  wide  and  three  feet  long,  are  procured ;  over  the  glass, 
a  layer  of  fat  is  spread,  about  half  an  inch  thick,  with  a  kind  of  plaster  knife 
or  spatula ;  into  this  the  flower  buds  are  struck,  cup  downwards,  and  ranged 
completely  over  it,  and  there  left  from  twelve  to  seventy-two  hours,, 
18 
