THE MANUFACTURE OF FRENCH PERFUMES.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXV, Issue 2835, 13 September 1890, Page 4

THE MANUFACTURE OF FRENCH PERFUMES.

Some interesting facts with regard to the manufacture of perfumes at Nice are contained in a report presented to the Foreign Office by Consul J. C. Harris. He says thut the art of producing , scent is well understood in his district, but can only be acquired by lonjr practice, by which alone the blending , of the primary essences in proper proportions becomes thoroughly understood. The first process is the extraction of the essences by distillation. A large copper vessel or alembic is filled with water to about twothirds of its capacity: the flowers to be treated are then introduced, and it is hermetically closed. It is then placed on a fire; usually iras or steam is used for this purpose. Steam is generated by this means in the cylinder, and is carried by means of a pipe into a second cylinder, which is constantly kept replenished with cold water, and is furnished with an overflow cock. The pipe, in its passage through this second cylinder, assumes the form of a spiral coil. This coil ends in a cock at the bottom of the cylinder, from which the violatile esence exudes drop by drop as the steam becomes condensed in its passage through the spiral coil. In this manner the essence is collected in a amiill glass vessel, while at the same time the water containing a. .small portion of the Hcent, and which still remains in the alembic, is itself perfumed, and becomes the rose water or orange water of trade. All flowers are not susceptible of thia treatment —some of them, containing no essence, have so be treated by two different processes. Tht first may be described as the cold proess, and the second as the hot process. The former is generally used for cassio (Accneia Fanwrimiti), jessamine, jonquils, tuberoses, violets, and some other fiowere. Freshly-gathered flowers lire placed upon a layer of pure lard, a quarter of an inch in thickness, spread over a sheet of glass about two feet square, which is framed in wood, and forms a kind of tray. These trays, sometimes -10 to 50 together, are then piled upon ouo another ; tho flowers are cJiimjrcd every \i, 10, or 2-1 hours, according to circumstance and the process is thus continued until the lard is sufficiently charged with perfume. Jessamine and tiiburose arc frequently changed as oft'in at .">() times before the lanl "is considered to lie sufficiently impregnated, cassie and violets from DO to 40 times, and jonquils about 20 times, only. The fat thus obtained can he packed in air-tight lias and exported. When the hot process is resorted to for the purpose of obtaining the impregnated fat, 20 kilos, of crease are placed in a copper vessel, together with some five kilos, of flowers; the vessel _is then placed over i> slow tire, and the conteuts are well stirred. After allowing the compound to boil 10 minutes, the vessel is left to cool for some hours ; an addition five kilos, of flowers are then added, and the process is repeated until the fat has absorbed the requisite amount of perfume ; the hot liquid is then poured through a sieve, and the greasy flower-paste that remains is subjected to hydraulic pressure From these " poinmadcs" perfumed and alcoholised liquids arc extracted l:y means of grain spirit, and also by spirits of wine; these are the " pxtraits" of trade, and it is by the judicious blending of the difle reut essences and concentrated perfumes, that the numerous scents are produced. Of the flowers producing essences the orange flower produces but one gramme of essence for one kilo of (lowers, or but onethousandth part. This essence is styled "neroli," and is the principal essence produced in the district between the Yar and the Italian frontier. Of rose, 2.~>,000 kilos, of flowers are required to obtain one kilo, of essence of neroli; geranium, mint, and bitter orange leaf, 1,000 kilos ; and lavender and eucalyptus, 100 kilos for o'jOO kilo of essence.