cake into a bag of coarse cloth, or spread it upon a sieve, and then
force the stream through it; in either case, the essential oil of the
almond rises with the watery vapor, and is condensed in the still-worm.
In this concentrated form, the odor of almonds is far from agreeable;
but when diluted with spirit, in the proportion of about one and a half
ounce of the oil to a gallon of spirit or alcohol, it is very pleasant.

[Illustration: Almond.]

The essential oil of almonds, enters into combination with soap, cold
cream, and many other materials prepared by the perfumer; for which see
their respective titles.

Fourteen pounds of the cake yield about one ounce of essential oil.

In experiments with this substance, it must be carefully remembered that
it is exceedingly _poisonous_, and, therefore, great caution is
necessary in its admixture with substances used as a cosmetic, otherwise
dangerous results may ensue.

_Artificial Otto of Almonds._--Five or six years ago, Mr. Mansfield, of
Weybridge, took out a patent for the manufacture of otto of almonds from
benzole. (Benzole is obtained from tar oil.) His apparatus, according to
the Report of the juries of the 1851 Exhibition, consists of a large
glass tube in the form of a coil, which at the upper end divides into
two tubes; each of which is provided with a funnel. A stream of nitric
acid flows slowly into one of the funnels, and benzole into the other.
The two substances meet at the point of union of the tubes, and a
combination ensues with the evolution of heat. As the newly formed
compound flows down through the coil it becomes cool, and is collected