inodorous bodies, such as soap, oil, starch, and grease, which are
consumed at the toilette of fashion. Some idea of the commercial
importance of this art may be formed, when we state that one of the
large perfumers of Grasse and Paris employs annually 80,000 lbs. of
orange flowers, 60,000 lbs. of cassia flowers, 54,000 lbs. of
rose-leaves, 32,000 lbs. of jasmine blossoms, 32,000 lbs. of violets,
20,000 lbs. of tubereuse, 16,000 lbs. of lilac, besides rosemary, mint,
lemon, citron, thyme, and other odorous plants in large proportion. In
fact, the quantity of odoriferous substances used in this way is far
beyond the conception of those even used to abstract statistics.

To the chemical philosopher, the study of perfumery opens a book as yet
unread; for the practical perfumer, on his laboratory shelves, exhibits
many rare essential oils, such as essential oil of the flower of the
_Acacia farnesiana_, essential oil of violets, tubereuse, jasmine, and
others, the compositions of which have yet to be determined.

The exquisite pleasure derived from smelling fragrant flowers would
almost instinctively induce man to attempt to separate the odoriferous
principle from them, so as to have the perfume when the season denies
the flowers. Thus we find the alchemists of old, torturing the plants in
every way their invention could devise for this end; and it is on their
experiments that the whole art of perfumery has been reared. Without
recapitulating those facts which may be found diffused through nearly
all the old authors on medical botany, chemistry, pharmacy, and works of
this character, from the time of Paracelsus to Celnart, we may state at
once the mode of operation adopted by the practical perfumer of the
present day for preparing the various extracts or essences, waters,
oils, pomades, &c., used in his calling.