one gallon of rectified spirit of wine, it forms what may be termed
extract of allspice, which extract will be found very useful in the
manufacture of low-priced bouquets.

ALMONDS.

"Mark well the flow'ring almonds in the wood;
If od'rous blooms the bearing branches load,
The glebe will answer to the sylvan reign,
Great heats will follow, and large crops of grain."

VIRGIL.

This perfume has been much esteemed for many ages. It may be procured by
distilling the leaves of any of the laurel tribe, and the kernels of
stone fruit; for trade purposes, it is obtained from the bitter
almonds, and exists in the skin or pellicle that covers the seed after
it is shelled. In the ordinary way, the almonds are put into the press
for the purpose of obtaining the mild or fat oil from the nut; the cake
which is left after this process is then mixed with salt and water, and
allowed to remain together for about twenty-four hours prior to
distillation. The reason for moistening the cake is well understood to
the practical chemist, and although we are not treating the subject of
perfumery in a chemical sense, but only in a practical way, it may not
be inappropriate here to observe, that the essential oil of almonds does
not exist ready formed to any extent in the nut, but that it is produced
by a species of fermentation, from the amygdalin and emulsine contained
in the almonds, together with the water that is added. Analogous
substances exist in laurel leaves, and hence the same course is to be
pursued when they are distilled. Some manufacturers put the moistened