The Art of Perfumery, and Methods of Obtaining the Odors of Plants Part 17

" lemon-gra.s.s, 1/4 "

PATCHOULY SACHET.

Patchouly herb, ground, 1 lb.

Otto of patchouly, 1/4 drachm.

Patchouly herb is often sold in its natural state, as imported, tied up in bundles of half a pound each.

POT POURRI.

This is a mixture of dried flowers and spices _not_ ground.

Dried lavender, 1 lb.

Whole rose-leaves, 1 lb.

Crushed orris (coa.r.s.e), 1/2 lb.

Broken cloves, } " cinnamon, } each, 2 oz.

" allspice, } Table salt, 1 lb.

We need scarcely observe that the salt is only used to increase the bulk and weight of the product, in order to sell it cheap.

OLLA PODRIDA.

This is a similar preparation to pot pourri. No regular form can be given for it, as it is generally made, or "knocked up," with the refuse and spent materials derived from other processes in the manufacture of perfumery; such as the spent vanilla after the manufacture of tincture or extract of vanilla, or of the grain musk from the extract of musk, orris from the tincture, tonquin beans, after tincturation, &c. &c., mixed up with rose-leaves, lavender, or any odoriferous herbs.

ROSE SACHET.

Rose heels or leaves, 1 lb.

Santal-wood, ground, 1/2 lb.

Otto of roses, 1/4 oz.

SANTAL-WOOD SACHET.

This is a good and economical sachet, and simply consists of the ground wood. Santal-wood is to be purchased from some of the wholesale drysalters; the drug-grinders are the people to reduce it to powder for you--any attempt to do so at home will be found unavailable, on account of its toughness.

SACHET (_without a name_).

Dried thyme, } " lemon thyme, } of each, 1/4 lb.

" mint, } " marjoram, } " lavender, 1/2 lb.

" rose heels, 1 lb.

Ground cloves, 2 oz.

Allspice, 2 oz.

Musk in grain, 1 drachm.

VERVAIN SACHET.

Lemon-peel, dried and ground, 1 lb.

" thyme, 1/4 lb.

Otto of lemon-gra.s.s, 1 drachm.

" " peel, 1/2 oz.

" bergamot, 1 oz.

VITIVERT SACHET.

The fibrous roots of the _Anthoxanthum muricatum_ being ground, const.i.tute the sachet, bearing the name as above, derived from the Tamool name, _vittie vayer_, and by the Parisian _vetiver_. Its odor resembles myrrh. Vitivert is more often sold tied up in bunches, as imported from India, than ground, and is used for the prevention of moth, rather than as a perfume.

VIOLET SACHET.

Black-currant leaves (_ca.s.se_), 1 lb.

Rose heels or leaves, 1 lb.

Orris-root powder, 2 lbs.

Otto of almonds, 1/4 drachm.

Grain musk, 1 "

Gum benzoin, in powder, 1/2 lb.

Well mix the ingredients by sifting; keep them together for a week in a gla.s.s or porcelain jar before offering for sale.

There are many other sachets manufactured besides those already given, but for actual trade purposes there is no advantage in keeping a greater variety than those named. There are, however, many other substances used in a similar way; the most popular is the

PEAU D'ESPAGNE.

Peau d'Espagne, or Spanish skin, is nothing more than highly perfumed leather. Good sound pieces of wash leather are to be steeped in a mixture of ottos, in which are dissolved some odoriferous gum-resins, thus:--Otto of neroli, otto of rose, santal, of each half an ounce; otto of lavender, verbena, bergamot, of each a quarter of an ounce; otto of cloves and cinnamon, of each two drachms; with any others thought fit.

In this mixture dissolve about two ounces of gum benzoin; now place the skin to steep in it for a day or so, then hang it over a line to dry. A paste is now to be made by rubbing in a mortar one drachm of civet with one drachm of grain musk, and enough solution of gum acacia or gum tragacantha to give it a spreading consistence; a little of any of the ottos that may be left from the steep stirred in with the civet, &c., greatly a.s.sists in making the whole of an equal body; the skin being cut up into pieces of about four inches square are then to be spread over, plaster fas.h.i.+on, with the last-named compost; two pieces being put together, having the civet plaster inside them, are then to be placed between sheets of paper, weighed or pressed, and left to dry thus for a week; finally, each double skin, now called peau d'Espagne, is to be enveloped in some pretty silk or satin, and finished off to the taste of the vender.

Skin or leather thus prepared evolves a pleasant odor for years, and hence they are frequently called "the inexhaustible sachet." Being flat, they are much used for perfuming writing-paper.

The lasting odor of Russia leather is familiar to all and pleasing to many; its perfume is due to the aromatic saunders-wood with which it is tanned, and to the empyreumatic oil of the bark of the birch tree, with which it is curried. The odor of Russia leather is, however, not _recherche_ enough to be considered as a perfume; but, nevertheless, leather can be impregnated by steeping in the various ottos with any sweet scent, and which it retains to a remarkable degree, especially with otto of santal or lemon-gra.s.s (_Verbena_). In this manner the odor of the peau d'Espagne can be greatly varied, and gives great satisfaction, on account of the permanence of its perfume.

PERFUMED LETTER-PAPER.

If a piece of peau d'Espagne be placed in contact with paper, the latter absorbs sufficient odor to be considered as "perfumed;" it is obvious that paper for writing upon must not be touched with any of the odorous tinctures or ottos, on account of such matters interfering with the fluidity of the ink and action of the pen; therefore, by the process of infection, as it were, alone can writing paper be perfumed to advantage.

Besides the sachets mentioned there are many other substances applied as dry perfumes, such as scented wadding, used for quilting into all sorts of articles adapted for use in a lady's boudoir. Pincus.h.i.+ons, jewel cases, and the like are lined with it. Cotton, so perfumed, is simply steeped in some strong essence of musk, &c.

PERFUMED BOOK-MARKERS.

We have seen that leather can be impregnated with odoriferous substances, in the manufacture of peau d'Espagne; just so is card-board treated prior to being made up into book-marks. In finis.h.i.+ng them for sale, taste alone dictates their design; some are ornamented with beads, others with embroidery.

Ca.s.sOLETTES AND PRINTANIERS.

Ca.s.solettes and Printaniers are little ivory boxes, of various designs, perforated in order to allow the escape of the odors contained therein.

The paste used for filling these "ivory palaces whereby we are made glad," is composed of equal parts of grain musk, ambergris, seeds of the vanilla-pod, otto of roses, and orris powder, with enough gum acacia, or gum tragacantha, to work the whole together into a paste. These things are now princ.i.p.ally used for perfuming the pocket or reticule, much in the same way that ornamental silver and gold vinagrettes are used.

PASTILS.

There is no doubt whatever that the origin of the use of pastils, or pastilles, as they are more often called, from the French, has been derived from the use of incense at the altars of the temples during the religious services:--"According to the custom of the priest's office, his lot (Zacharias') was to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord." (Luke 1:9.) "And thou shalt make an altar to burn incense.... And Aaron shall burn thereon sweet incense every morning when he dresseth the lamps, and at even when he lighteth the lamps he shall burn incense upon it." (Exodus 30.)

An a.n.a.logous practice is in use to the present day in the Roman Catholic churches, but, instead of being consumed upon an altar, the incense is burned in a censer, as doubtless many of our readers have seen. "As soon as the signal was given by the chief priest the incense was kindled, the holy place was filled with perfume, and the congregation without joined in prayers." (_Carpenters Temple service of the Hebrews._)