VARIETIES.   .  79 
being  filled  with  crystals,  they  are  covered  either  with  the  liquid  ammonia, 
scented  as  above,  or  with  alcoholic  ammonia.  The  necks  of  the  bottles  are 
filled  with  a  piece  of  white  cotton,  otherwise,  when  inverted,  from  the  non- 
absorbent  quality  of  the  crystals,  the  ammonia  runs  out,  and  causes  the 
same  complaint  to  be  made.  The  crystals  look  prettier  in  colored  bottles 
than  the  sponge  ;  but  in  plain  bottles  the  sponge  appears  quite  as  handsome, 
and,  as  before  observed,  it  holds  the  ammonia  better  than  any  other  mate- 
rial. We  have  also  what  is  called  White  Smelling  Salts,  and  Preston 
Salts.  The  White  Smelling  Salt  is  the  sesqui-carbonate  of  ammonia  in 
powder,  with  which  is  mixed  any  perfuming  essential  oil  that  is  thought 
fit, — lavender  oil  giving,  as  a  general  rule,  the  most  satisfaction. 
Preston  Salts,  which  is  the  cheapest  of  all  the  ammoniacal  compounds, 
is  composed. of  some  easily  decomposable  salt  of  ammonia  and  lime,  such 
as  equal  parts  of  muriate  of  ammonia,  or  of  sesqui-carbonate  of  ammonia, 
and  of  fresh  slaked  lime.  When  the  bottles  are  filled  with  this  compound, 
rammed  in  very  hard,  a  drop  or  two  of  some  cheap  essential  oil  is  poured 
on  the  top  prior  to  corking.  For  this  purpose,  oil  of  French  lavender,  or 
oil  of  bergamot,  answers  very  well.  We  need  scarcely  mention  that  the 
corks  are  dipped  into  melted  sealing-wax,  or  brushed  over  with  liquid  wax, 
red  or  black  wax  dissolved  in  alcohol,  to  which  a  small  portion  of  ether  is 
added.  The  only  other  compound  of  ammonia  that  is  sold  in  the  perfumery 
trade  is  eau  de  luce,  though  properly  it  belongs  to  the  druggist.  When 
correctly  made — which  is  rarely,  very  rarely  the  ease — it  retains  the  re- 
markable odor  of  oil  of  amber,  which  renders  it  characteristic. 
Eau  de  Luce. 
Tincture  of  benzoin  ;  or,  . 
"  balsam  of  Peru 
Oil  of  lavender       ....  10  drops. 
"     amber  ....  5  drops. 
Liquor  ammonia      ....  2  ounces. 
If  requisite,  strain  through  cotton  wool,  but  it  must  not  be  filtered,  as  it 
should  have  the  appearance  of  a  milk-white  emulsion. 
Acetic  Acid  and  its  Use  in  Perfumery. — The  pungency  of  the  odor  of 
vinegar  naturally  brought  it  into  the  earliest  use  in  the  art  of  perfumery. 
The  acetic  acid,  evolved  by  distillating  acetate  of  copper  (verdigris),  is 
the  true  "  aromatic  "  vinegar  of  the  old  alchemists. 
The  modern  aromatic  vinegar  is  the  concentrated  acetic  acid  aromatized 
with  essential  oils,  camphor,  &c,  thus — 
Aromatic  Vinegar. 
Concentrated  acetic  acid      ...        8  ounces. 
Oil  of  English  lavender        ...        2  drachms. 
"        "      rosemary       ...         1  drachm. 
"    cloves      .....        1  drachm. 
"    camphor  .  :        .        „         1  ounce. 
1  ounce. 
