VARIETIES. 
557 
ambergris,  storax, tolu,  orris,  vitivert,  or  benzoin  ;  the  manufacturer  using 
his  judgment  and  discretion  as  to  which  of  these  materials  are  to  be  employed, 
choosing,  of  course,  those  which  are  most  compatible  with  the  odor  he 
is  making. 
The  power  which  these  bodies  have  of  "  fixing "  a  volatile  substance, 
renders  them  valuable  to  the  perfumer,  independent  of  their  aroma,  which 
is  due  in  many  cases  to  benzoic  acid,  slightly  modified  by  an  essential  oil 
peculiar  to  each  substance,  and  which  is  taken  up  by  the  alcohol,  together 
with  a  portion  of  resin.  When  the  perfume  is  put  upon  a  handkerchief, 
the  most  volatile  substances  disappear  first ;  thus,  after  the  alcohol  has  eva- 
porated, the  odors  of  the  essential  oil  appear  stronger ;  if  it  contains  any 
resinous  body,  the  essential  oils  are  held  in  solution,  as  it  were,  by  the 
resin,  and  thus  retained  on  the  fabric.  Supposing  a  perfume  to  be  made 
of  essential  oils  only,  without  any  "fixing''  substance,  the  perfume  "  dies 
away,"  the  olfactory  nerve,  if  tutored,  will  detect  its  composition,  for  it 
spontaneously  analyses  itself,  no  two  essential  oils  having  the  same  volatil- 
ity ;  thus,  make  a  mixture  of  rose,  jessamine,  and  patchouly  ;  the  jessamine 
predominates  first,  then  the  rose,  and,  lastly,  the  patchouly,  which  will  be 
found  hours  after  the  others  have  disappeared. 
Tuberose. — One  of  the  most  exquisite  odors  with  which  wo  are  ac- 
quainted, is  obtained  by  enfleurage  from  the  tuberose  flower.  It  is,  as  it 
were,  a  nosegay  in  itself,  and  reminds  one  of  the  perfume  observed  in  a  well- 
stocked  flower  garden  at  even  close,  consequently  it  is  much  in  demand 
by  perfumers  for  compounding  sweet  essences. 
Extract  of  Tuberose. 
Six  pounds  of  No.  24  tuberuse  pomatum  cut  up  very  fine,  is  to  be  placed 
into  1  gallon  of  the  best  rectified  spirit.  After  standing  for  three  weeks 
or  a  month  at  summer  heat,  and  with  frequent  agitation,  it  is  fit  to  draw 
off,  and  being  strained  through  cotton  wool,  is  ready  for  either  sale  or  use 
in  the  manufacture  of  bouquets. 
This  essence  of  tuberose,  like  that  of  jessamine,  is  exceedingly  vola- 
tile, and  if  sold  in  its  pure  state  quickly  "flies  off"  the  handkerchief;  it  is 
therefore  necessary  to  add  some  fixing  ingredient,  and  for  this  purpose  it  is 
best  to  use  one' ounce  of  extract  of  orris,  or  half  an  ounce  of  extract  of  va- 
nilla, to  every  pint  of  tuberose. 
Thyme. — All  the  different  species  of  thyme,  but  more  particularly  the 
lemon  thyme,  the  Tiujmus  serpyllum,  as  well  as  the  marjorans,  origanum, 
&c,  yield,  by  distillation,  fragrant  essential  oils,  that  are  extensively  used 
by  manufacturing  perfumers  for  scenting  soaps ;  though  well  adapted  for 
this  purpose,  they  do  not  answer  at  all  in  any  other  combinations.  Both 
in  grease  and  in  spirit  all  these  oils  impart  a  herby  smell  (verv  naturally) 
rather  than  a  flowery  one,  and  as  a  consequence,  are  not  considered  re- 
cherche. 
