EXTRAIT DE BOIS DE SANTAL.

Rectified spirits, 7 pints. 
Esprit de rose, 1 pint. 
Essential oil, i.e. otto, of santal, 3 oz.

All those EXTRACTS, made by dissolving the otto in alcohol, are nearly white, or at least only slightly tinted by the color of the oil used.  When a perfumer has to impart a delicate odeur to a lady’s mouchoir, which in some instances costs “no end of money,” and is an object, at any cost, to retain unsullied, it behooves his reputation to sell an article that will not stain a delicate white fabric.  Now, when a perfume is made in a direct manner from any wood or herb, as tinctures are made, that is, by infusion in alcohol, there is obtained, besides the odoriferous substance, a solution of coloring and extractive matter, which is exceedingly detrimental to its fragrance, besides seriously staining any cambric handkerchief that it may be used upon; and for this reason this latter method should never be adopted, except for use upon silk handkerchiefs.

The odor of santal assimilates well with rose; and hence, prior to the cultivation of rose-leaf geranium, it was used to adulterate otto of roses; but is now but seldom used for that purpose.

By a “phonetic” error, santal is often printed “sandal,” and “sandel.”

SASSAFRAS.—­Some of the perfumers of Germany use a tincture of the wood of the Laurus sassafras in the manufacture of hair-washes and other nostrums; but as, in our opinion, it has rather a “physicky” smell than flowery, we cannot recommend the German recipes.  The Eau Athenienne, notwithstanding, has some reputation as a hair-water, but is little else than a weak tincture of sassafras.

SPIKE.—­French oil of lavender, which is procured from the Lavandula spica, is generally called oil of spike. (See Lavender.)

STORAX and TOLU are used in perfumery in the same way as benzoin, namely, by solution in spirit as a tincture.  An ounce of tincture of storax, tolu, or benzoin, being added to a pound of any very volatile perfume, gives a degree of permanence to it, and makes it last longer on the handkerchief than it otherwise would:  thus, when any perfume is made by the solution of an otto in spirit, it is usual to add to it a small portion of a substance which is less volatile, such as extract of musk, extract of vanilla, ambergris, storax, tolu, orris, vitivert, or benzoin; the manufacturer using his judgment and discretion as to which of these materials are to be employed, choosing, of course, those which are most compatible with the odor he is making.