The number of formulae published for making a liquid perfume of lavender is almost endless, but the whole of them may be resolved into essence of lavender, simple; essence of lavender, compound; and lavender water.

There are two methods of making essence of lavender:—­1.  By distilling a mixture of essential oil of lavender and rectified spirit; and the other—­2.  By merely mixing the oil and the spirit together.

The first process yields the finest quality:  it is that which is adopted by the firm of Smyth and Nephew, whose reputation for this article is such that it gives a good character in foreign markets, especially India, to all products of lavender of English manufacture.  Lavender essence, that which is made by the still, is quite white, while that by mixture only always has a yellowish tint, which by age becomes darker and resinous.

SMYTH’S LAVENDER.

To produce a very fine distillate, take—­

Otto of English Lavender, 4 oz. 
Rectified spirit (60 over proof), 5 pints. 
Rose-water, 1 pint.

Mix and distil five pints for sale.  Such essence of lavender is expensive, but at 10_s._ a pint of 14 oz! there is a margin for profit.  It not being convenient to the general dealer to sell distilled lavender essence, the following form, by mixture, will produce a first-rate article, and nearly as white as the above.

ESSENCE OF LAVENDER.

Otto of lavender, 3-1/2 oz. 
Rectified spirit, 2 quarts.

The perfumer’s retail price for such quality is 8_s._ per pint of 14 oz.

Many perfumers and druggists in making lavender water or essence, use a small portion of bergamot, with an idea of improving its quality—­a very erroneous opinion; moreover, such lavender quickly discolors.

LAVENDER WATER.—­Take: 

English oil of lavender, 4 oz. 
Spirit, 3 quarts. 
Rose-water, 1 pint.

Filter as above, and it is ready for sale.

COMMON LAVENDER WATER.—­Same form as the above, substituting
French lavender for the British.

Recipes for Rondeletia, Lavender Bouquet, and other lavender compounds, will be given when we come to speak of compound perfumes, which will be reserved until we have finished explaining the method of making the simple essences.

LEMON.—­This fine perfume is abstracted from the Citrus limonum, by expression, from the rind of the fruit.  The otto of lemons in the market is principally from Messina, where there are hundreds of acres of “lemon groves.”  Otto of lemons, like all the ottos of the Citrus family, is rapidly prone to oxidation when in contact with air and exposure to light; a high temperature is also detrimental, and as such is the case it should be preserved in a cool cellar.  Most of the samples from the gas-heated shelves of the druggists’