tract of violet; and as the eye influences the
judgment by the sense of taste, so it does with the sense of smell.
Extract of violet enters largely into the composition of several of the
most popular bouquets, such as extract of spring flowers and many
others.

VITIVERT, or Kus-Kus, is the rhizome of an Indian grass. In the
neighborhood of Calcutta, and in the city, this material has an
extensive use by being manufactured into awnings, blinds, and
sun-shades, called Tatty. During the hot seasons an attendant sprinkles
water over them; this operation cools the apartment by the evaporation
of the water, and, at the same time, perfumes the atmosphere, in a very
agreeable manner, with the odoriferous principle of the vitivert. It has
a smell between the aromatic or spicy odor and that of flowers--if such
a distinction can be admitted. We classify it with orris root, not that
it has any odor resembling it, but because it has a like effect in use
in perfumery, and because it is prepared as a tincture for obtaining its
odor.

About four pounds of the dried vitivert, as it is imported, being cut
small and set to steep in a gallon of rectified spirits for a fortnight,
produces the

ESSENCE OF VITIVERT of the shops. In this state it is rarely
used as a perfume, although it is occasionally asked for by those who,
perhaps, have learnt to admire its odor by their previous residence in
"the Eastern clime." The extract, essence, or tincture of vitivert,
enters into the composition of several of the much-admired and old
bouquets manufactured in the early days of perfumery in England, such as
"_Mousselaine des Indies_," for which preparation M. Delcroix, in the
zenith of his fame, created quite a _furor_ in the fashionable world.

[Illustration: Vitivert.]

Essence of vitivert is also made by dissolving 2 oz. of otto of vitivert
in 1 gallon of spirit; this preparation is stronger than the tincture,
as above.

MARECHALE and BOUQUET DU ROI, perfumes which have also
"had their day," owe much of their peculiarity to the vitivert contained
in them.

Bundles of vitivert are sold for perfuming linen and preventing moth,
and, when ground, is used to manufacture certain sachet powders.

Otto of vitivert is procurable by distillation; a hundred-weight of
vitivert yields about 14 oz. of otto, which in appearance very much
resembles otto of santal. I have placed a sample of it in the museum at
Kew.

VOLKAMERIA.--An exquisite perfume is