the heat not being sufficient to disengage it from the
plant, especially where seeds such as cloves or caraway are employed. It
so happens, however, that the finest odors, the _recherche_ as the
Parisians say, cannot be procured by this method; then recourse is had
to the next process.

[Illustration: Tap funnel for separating ottos from water and spirits
from oil.]

3. _Maceration._--Of all the processes for procuring the perfumes of
flowers, this is the most important to the perfumer, and is the least
understood in England; as this operation yields not only the most
exquisite essences indirectly, but also nearly all those fine pomades
known here as "French pomatums," so much admired for the strength of
fragrance, together with "French oils" equally perfumed. The operation
is conducted thus:--For what is called pomade, a certain quantity of
purified mutton or deer suet is put into a clean metal or porcelain pan,
this being melted by a steam heat; the kind of flowers required for the
odor wanted are carefully picked and put into the liquid fat, and
allowed to remain from twelve to forty-eight hours; the fat has a
particular affinity or attraction for the oil of flowers, and thus, as
it were, draws it out of them, and becomes itself, by their aid, highly
perfumed; the fat is strained from the spent flowers, and fresh are
added four or five times over, till the pomade is of the required
strength; these various strengths of pomatums are noted by the French
makers as Nos. 6, 12, 18, and 24, the higher numerals indicating the
amount of fragrance in them. For perfumed oils the same operation is
followed; but, in lieu of suet, fine olive oil or oil of ben, derived
from the ben nuts of the Levant, is used, and the same results are
obtained. These oils are called "Huile Antique" of such and such a
flower.

When neither of the foregoing processes gives satisfactory results, the
method of procedure adopted is by,--

4. _Absorption_, or _Enfleurage._--The odors of some flowers are so
delicate and volatile, that the heat required in the previously named
processes would greatly modify, if not entirely spoil them; this
process is, therefore, conducted cold, thus:--Square frames, about three
inches deep, with a glass bottom, say two feet wide and three feet long,
are procured; over the glass a layer of fat is spread, about half an
inch thick, with a kind of plaster knife or spatula; into this the
flower buds are stuck, cup downwar