VARIETIES.  461 
commonly  called  oil  of  oringeat  by  the  French,  is  exceedingly  powerful, 
and  in  this  respect  resembles  all  the  oils  from  the  different  species  of  thyme, 
of  which  the  marjorum  is  one.  One  hundred  weight  of  the  dry  herb  yields 
about  ten  ounces  of  the  essential  oil.  Oringeat  oil  is  extensively  used  for 
perfuming  soap,  but  more  in  France  than  in  England.  It  is  the  chief 
ingredient  used  by  Gelle  Freres,  of  Paris,  for  scenting  their  "  Tablet 
Monstre  Soap,"  so  common  in  the  London  shops. 
Melissa.    See  Balm. 
Meadow  Sweet. — A  beautiful  smelling  oil  can  be  produced  by  distilling 
the  Spiraea  ulmaria,  but  is  not  used  by  perfumers. 
Mignonette. — But  for  the  exquisite  odor  of  this  little  flower,  it  would 
scarcely  be  known  otherwise  than  as  a  weed.  Sweet  as  it  is  in  its  natural 
state,  and  prolific  in  odor,  we  are  not  able  to  maintain  its  characteristic 
smell  as  an  essence.  Like  many  others,  during  separation  from  the  plant, 
the  fragrance  is  more  or  less  modified.  Though  not  perfect,  it  still  reminds 
the  sense  of  the  odor  of  the  flowers.  To  give  it  that  sweetness  which  it 
appears  to  want,  a  certain  quantity  "of  violet  is  added  to  bring  it  up  to  the 
market  odor.  As  this  plant  is  so  very  prolific  in  odor,  we  think  something 
might  be  done  with  it  in  England,  especially  as  it  flourishes  as  well  in  this 
country  as  in  France. 
"What  we  desire  to  see  are  flower  farms  and  organized  perfumatories 
established  in  the  British  Isles,  for  the  extraction  of  essences  and  the 
manufacture  of  pomade  and  oils,  of  such  flowers  as  are  indigenous,  or  that 
thrive  in  the  open  fields  of  our  country.  Besides  opening  up  a  new  field  of 
enterprise  and  good  investment  for  capital,  it  would  give  healthy  employ- 
ment to  many  women  and  children.  .  Open-air  employment  for  the  young  is 
of  no  little  consideration  to  maintain  the  stamina  of  the  future  generation  ; 
for  it  cannot  be  denied  that  our  factory  system  and  confined  cities  are 
degenerative  to  the  physical  condition  of  the  human  family. 
To  return  from  our  digression.  The  essence  of  mignonette,  or,  as  it  is  more 
often  sold  under  the  name  of,  extrait  de  rezeda,  is  prepared  by  infusing  the 
rezeda  pomade  in  rectified  spirit,  in  the  proportion  of  one  pound  of  pomade 
to  one  pint  of  spirit,  allowing  them  to  digest  together  for  a  fortnight,  when 
the  essence  is  filtered  off  the  pomade.  One  ounce  of  extrait  d'ambre  is 
added  to  every  pint.  This  is  done  to  give  permanence  to  the  odor  upon  the 
handkerchief,  and  does  not  in  any  way  alter  its  odor. 
Myrtle. — A  very  fragrant,  essential  oil  may  be  procured  by  distilling 
both  the  flowers  and  the  leaves  of  the  common  myrtle ;  one  hundred  weight 
will  yield  about  five  ounces  of  the  volatile  oil.  The  demand  for  essence  of 
myrtle  being  very  limited,  the  odor  as  found  in  the  perfumers'  shops  is  very 
rarely  a  genuine  article,  but  is  imitated  thus  : — 
Extract  of  vanilla        .        .        .        .        .  |  pint. 
"        roses  .....  1  pint. 
"       fleur  d'orange       ....  J  pint. 
"       tubereuse    .....  2  pint. 
"       jasmin        .....  2  ounces. 
