HOME-MADE SCENT.

Otago Witness, Issue 3430, 9 December 1919, Page 66

HOME-MADE SCENT.

—Cheaper and Better than the Bought Article.— Economy being the watchword, the careful woman should make in her own homo the most exquisite perfumes. If the necessary flowers are available, the only ingredients that need be bought are a bottle of Lucca oil and some cottonwool wadding. , The best flowers are roses, violets, lilies of the valley, lavender, and tuber roses. The blossoms should be in their prime when gathered —neither buds nor overmature. blooms—gathered in the morning if the blossoms are outside. The blossoms from greenhouse and conservatory, which are the best for the purpose, may be gathered at any -time. Where large flowers are used, as roses, separate the petals. With all flowers spread them on a tray for about 20 minutes to eliminate all moisture. The wadding should be in lengths, as bought at drapers. . —The Process is Simple.— Procure a wide-mouthed jam-jar or bottle, and cut the wadding in circles the sizd of the mouth of the jar. Pour some of the oil into a pie-dish, and soak the circles of wadding in it. Thoroughly clean the jar with hot soda rinse several times with cold water, afterwards drying. Now sprinkle a little salt at the bottom of the jar, and then a* layer of petals or blossoms, then an oil-soaked pad of the wadding. Continue this process until the jar is filled, pressing down occasionally so that the whole is packed moderately close. Now cork or tie greaseproof paper over the jar to exclude air. The jar must now be placed where the sunshine will fall upon it; the more-sun it absorbs the better will be the perfume. In a fortnight, or, if the weather has been dull, three weeks, the perfume is ready for draining off. Fasten some fine muslin or canvas over the mouth of the jar, and drain off the fragrant oik The wadding may be afterwards placed in the muslin, and the remaining oil squeezed out. Keep the essence in a stoppered or corked bottle, and use only a few drops, the perfume being concentrated. Rose petals and lavender make a choice blended perfume; also rosemary and violets. Where the flowers or leaves of two plants are used, less of the stronger smelling plant is recruired. Leaves of aromatic plants should be bruised to release the if oil before being put into the j ar - ■ , ;