OIL OF LAVENDER. 
285 
The want of uniformity in the amount of product may be 
in part accounted for by the greater waste which occurs in 
operating on small quantities, by the variation in the con- 
dition of the flowers, and also in the proportions of fresh 
water added to that which had been used before. The 
price charged for the flowers separated from the stalk varied 
from 9c?. to lid. a pound. In the last two experiments the 
lavender was obtained in bundles, and two days were oc- 
cupied by several boys in stripping the flowers. The cost 
of the labor must, therefore, be added to the result, in order 
to make a fair comparison ; but even with this addition the 
expense is much less than it is when the flowers are bought 
stripped from the stalk. 
The dealers will not put themselves out of their usual 
course unless they are well paid for their trouble ; and as 
they are not usually called upon to supply the flowers with- 
out stalk, they seem to consider that they are conferring a 
favor by executing such an order, even at an exorbitant 
price. If the practice were more commonly adopted, ar- 
rangements would no doubt be made to supply the article 
on more reasonable terms. 
Notwithstanding the increase in the cost of the oil ob- 
tained from the pure flowers, the improvement in the qua- 
lity is sufficient to encourage a repetition of the practice. 
The oil is free from the rank smell which is often complained 
of in oil of lavender, and the experience of three years has 
confirmed the impression with which the experiment was 
undertaken. In further proof of the fact some oil was ob- 
tained by the distillation of the stalks alone, and this oil has 
in a remarkable degree the rank odor which is wanting in 
the oil from the flowers. Although this subject relates 
more to perfumery than to medicine, the distillation of oil 
of lavender is among the operations performed by the Phar- 
maceutical Chemist, and on the principle that whatever is 
worth doing is worth doing well, the above extracts from 
the laboratory journal are given for the purpose of esta- 
blishing the fact, that those who aim at perfection in their 
oil of lavender should beware of the stalks. — Pharm. Jour. 
