Democratic Sentinel, Volume 7, Number 15, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 11 May 1883 — How Perfume Is Extracted. [ARTICLE]

How Perfume Is Extracted.

One of the best methods of obtaining perfumes is by the use of grease. The process is called maceration. The best fat employed is marrow, which is melted in a water bath and strained. While it is still warm the flowers are thrown in and left to digest for several hours. They are then taken out and fresh ones are placed in the grease. This is continued for several days. The grease and perfume are then separated by the use of alcohol. Beef marrow is not the only substance used in extracting the odors from flowers. Inodorous oils are also used, especially refined olive oil, which is more extensively employed in the South of Europe. The process used for delicate plants, such as jassamine, tuberose and cassia, which will not allow the use of heat, is on the principle of absorption. A layer of purified lard and such mixture is spread on the glass bottom of a square wooden box, and upon this freshly gathered flowers are spread every morning as long as the flower is in bloom. The boxes are kept shut, and the grease soon acquires a very strong odor. In saturating oil, instead of glass bottoms to the boxes wire ones are used, upon which cloths soaked in oil are laid, and the boxes or frames are piled upon each other to keep them close. After the oil-soaked cloths are sufficiently charged with the they are placed in a press and the oil is squeezed out.— York Sun.