336 PREPARATION OF VOLATILE OIL OF ROSES IN THE EAST. 
cold place for several nights. The process adopted in China is 
somewhat different. The seeds of a species of Digitalis called 
Sisama are placed on layers of fresh roses, and after a contact 
of some days, both are submitted to strong pressure ; from a 
fatty oil thus obtained, the volatile oil of roses is separated by 
distillation. 
To the foregoing descriptions, I am desirous of adding that of 
another not so generally known, for the account of which I am 
indebted to a person who was engaged for several years in the 
manufacture of essential oil of roses at Damascus, and in some 
other parts of Asia Minor. It is a fact there well known, that 
oil of roses prepared by ordinary distillation, separates itself 
from the rose water in the form of a stearoptene. In order to 
obtain it liquid, transparent, dry and bright, as seen in com- 
merce, it becomes needful to submit fresh roses to dry distilla- 
tion. The following is the process : — The rose-buds collected 
before sun-rise and deprived of the calyx and other green por- 
tions, are packed while yet fresh in a glass retort of the same 
description as those made at Cairo. The retort is placed in a 
salt water bath, and a dry distillation is carried on, during 
which process the heat is cautiously increased, care being always 
taken that the contents of the retort do not become scorched. 
In order to diminish the loss of heat, the retort is surrounded by 
coarse cloths. The product of this distillation consists of a 
watery liquid of a deep brown color, upon which floats the oil of 
roses. The separation of the latter is effected in the usual way ; 
the aqueous portion is also reserved, being highly esteemed in 
the East as a perfume. When separated, the oil is mixed with 
salt water, by which it acquires a paler color ; packed in small 
vials it is carried to Constantinople, under the name of CfiiU 
Jaghi, or oil of roses. 
[In English commerce the wholesale dealers distinguish no 
other variety of oil of roses than the Levantine, which is import- 
ed from Turkey and sold as Turkish Otto of Roses.] — London 
Pharm, Joum., Sept. 1851. 
