374 
VARIETIES. 
as  that  of  lemons  ;  rancid  oil  of  lemons  may,  in  a  great  measure,  be  puri- 
fied by  agitation  with  warm  water  and  final  decantation.  When  new  and 
good,  lemon  oil  may  be  freely  used  in  combination  with  rosemary,  cloves, 
and  caraway,  for  perfuming  powders  for  the  nursery.  From  its  rapid  oxi- 
dation, it  should  not  be  used  for  perfuming  grease,  as  it  assists  rather  than 
otherwise  all  fats  to  turn  rancid  ,  hence,  pomatums  so  perfumed  do  not 
keep  well.  In  the  manufacture  of  other  compound  perfumes,  it  should  be 
dissolved  in  spirit,  in  the  proportion  of  six  to  eight  ounces  of  oil  to  one  gal- 
lon of  spirit.  There  is  a  large  consumption  of  oil  of  lemons  in  the  manu- 
facture of  Eau  de  Cologne  ;  that  Farina  uses  it  is  easily  discovered  by 
adding  a  few  drops  of  Liq.  Amnionic  fort,  to  half  an  ounce  of  his  Eau  de 
Cologne,  the  smell  of  the  lemon  is  thereby  brought  out  in  a  remarkable 
manner.  Perhaps  it  is  not  out  of  place  here  to  remark,  that  in  attempts  to 
discover  the  composition  of  certain  perfumes,  we  are  greatly  assisted  by  the 
use  of  strong  Liq.  Pottassce  or  Liq.  Ammonise,  certain  of  the  essential  oils 
combining  with  the  alkalies,  allow  those  which  do  not  do  so,  if  present  in 
the  compound,  to  be  smelt. 
Lemon  Grass. — According  to  Pereira,  the  essential  oil  in  the  market 
under  this  name  is  derived  from  the  Andropogon  schoenanthus,  a  species  of 
grass  which  grows  abundantly  in  India.  It  is  cultivated  to  a  large  extent 
in  Ceylon  and  the  Moluccas  purposely  for  the  oil,  which  from  the  plant  is 
easily  procured  by  distillation.  Lemon  grass  oil,  or,  as  it  is  sometimes 
called,  oil  of  verbena,  on  account  of  its  similarity  of  odor  to  that  favorite 
plant,  is  imported  into  England  in  old  English  porter  and  stout  bottles.  It 
is  very  powerful,  well  adapted  for  perfuming  soaps  and  greases,  but  its  prin- 
cipal consumption  is  in  the  manufacture  of  artificial  essence  of  verbena. 
From  its  comparatively  low  price,  great  strength,  and  fine  perfume  (when 
diluted),  the  lemon  grass  oil  may  be  much  more  used  than  at  present,  with 
considerable  advantage  to  the  retail  shopkeeper. 
Lilac. — The  fragrance  of  the  flowers  of  this  ornamental  shrub  (syringa) 
is  well  known.  The  essence  of  lilac  is  obtained  either  by  the  process  of 
maceration,  or  enfleurage  with  grease,  and  afterwards  treating  the  poma- 
tum thus  formed  with  rectified  spirit,  in  the  same  manner  as  previously 
described  for  cassie  ;  the  odor  so  much  resembles  tubereuse,  as  to  be  fre- 
quently used  to  adulterate  the  latter,  the  demand  for  tubereuse  being  at  all 
times  greater  than  the  supply.  A  beautiful  Imitation  of  Essence  of  White 
Lilac  may  be  compounded  thus — 
Spirituous  extract  from  tubereuse  pomade  .        1  pint. 
"  of  orange  flour  pomade  .        .        \  pint. 
Essential  oil  of  almonds       .        .        .        .        .  drops 
Extract  of  civet         .        .        .        .        .        .        f  oz. 
The  civet  is  only  used  to  give  permanence  to  the  perfume  of  the  hand, 
kerchief. — Annals  of  Pharmacy.  (To  be  continued.} 
