EXQUISITE PERFUMES.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 58, Issue 283, 10 September 1938, Page 10

EXQUISITE PERFUMES.

BLOSSOMS ON THE RIVIERA. The Riviera is justly celebrated for the exquisite perfume of its millions of blossoms, says a writer in the “News Chronicle.” Flowers grow in lavish profusion, and the perfumed delights of the beautiful gardens of Cannes, Beaulieu, Grasse, Nice, Monte Carlo, and! Mentone can never be forgotten. The pretty old world town of Grasse has been famous for its scent industry for many hundreds of years. and enormous quantities of flowers come annually into the factories there. The principal flowers used in perfume-making are orange blossoms, roses, jasmine, mimosa, violets, narcissi, jonquils, hyacinths, mignonette, tuberoses, carnations, wall flowers, heliotrope, lilac, lilies, and sweet peas. Many others are also used in smaller quantities. . All the flowers are grown in the immediate district—indeed, most of the adjoining countryside of Provence is devoted to the industry. But. of course, huge quantities are sent to Grasse throughout the year from all the other sunny towns and villages of the Mediterranean coast. The first harvests to he dealt with are those of the mimosa and the violet, which begin in January, and last for a coiiple of months, or even longer. Others follow on quickly in due course, The busiest time comes itt April and May, when the roses, mignonette, orange blossom, and carnations are at their best. Different . flowers are put through different processes, and the various factories have certain, special processes for their own special brands of perfume. A general method is to place the carefully-picked petals in fat or oil, in which they remain for a certain time, when they are removed and replaced by another supply of freshlypicked petals. Relays of petals are used, one after the other, until the fat or oil is thoroughly impregnated with the seeilt.

Another method is to scatter the petals thickly over glass plates covered with grease, piling the plates high up, one over the other. The petals are constantly renewed until the grease has absorbed all the perfume it will hold-

In both methods the fat ol* oil is afterwards plunged into alcohol, which extracts all the gathered scent from it, so that when the grease is finally removed not a trace remains in it. Some valuable perfumes are «made by distillation. “Attar of roses” is prepared in this manner, and so is eau de Cologne. Eau de Cologne is made from a mixture of flower petals and oils derived from the blossoms and leaves of orange trees and from the rinds of the oranges, which, together with various spices, are distilled with alcohol. Quite apart from its perfume industry the town of Grasse is full of interest. Though dating back to the twelfth century, it has not perhaps quite such a medieval aspect as many of the other old towns of Provence, but it is very picturesque with its rambling streets. It was once a fortified town, and some of the old ramparts are still to be seen. There is a beautiful twelfth-century church, containing some very fine carving and several interesting pictures, among them Fragonard’s “Washing of the Disciples’ Feet.” A high white square tower forms the belfry. Grasse is celebrated also as the birthplace of Fragonard, the French painter, to whom a sculptured memorial stands on the promenade known as the Cours. Queen. Victoria frequently visited Grasse, having had a great affection for the quaint town. The Villa Victoria, Avhere she used to stay, is situated upon a site which commands' one of the most magnificent panoramas in the whole of the French Riviera.