Oil of Orange Berries. Syn. Oleum aurantii baccæ, L. From the small unripe fruit of the orange-tree. Does not keep well. (See below.)
Oil of Orange Flowers. Syn. Neroli, Oil of n., Essence of n.; Oleum naphæ, O. aurantii florum, Aurantii oleum (Ph. E. and D.), L. From the flowers of either the bitter (Seville)or sweet orange (Citrus vulgaris or C. aurantium), by distillation with water. That from the fruit is said to be preferred, but there does not appear any actual difference between the two. Very fluid; lighter than water, in which it is slightly soluble; it is delightfully aromatic and fragrant, but the odour differs slightly from that of the flowers. Prod. 100 lbs. of flowers gathered in May or December yield 3 to 6 oz. of oil; 6 cwt. of the fresh flowers yield 1 lb. of oil.
Pur. Neroli is commonly adulterated with alcohol or essence de petit grain, and generally with both of them. The presence of the first is easily determined (see above): that of the second can only be discovered by comparing the odour evolved during the evaporation of a drop of the suspected oil, placed on a piece of white paper, with a like drop of pure neroli similarly treated. (See above and below.)
Oil of Orange-leaf. Syn. Oleum aurantii folii, L.; Essence de petit grain, Fr. From the leaves of either the bitter or sweet orange; that from the first being preferred. Delightfully fragrant. Extensively used to adulterate oil of neroli, and is itself commonly sophisticated with both alcohol and oil of orange-berries. (See above.)
Oil of Orig′anum. Syn. Oleum origani, O. o. essentiale, L. From the flowering herb of Origanum vulgare, or common or winter marjoram. Pale yellow colour; fragrant; acrid, pungent, and rubefacient. Sp. gr. ·927 (·940—Baumé). Prod. ·5% to ·75%. The dark-coloured oil of origanum of the shops is obtained from Thymus vulgare. The oil of origanum (Ph. E.) is oil of Origanum marjorana. See Oils of Marjoram, Thyme, and Lemon thyme.
Oil of Or′ris. Syn. Essence of violet; Oleum iridis, L. From the dried rhizomes of Iris Florentina, or Florentine orris-root. Fragrant. Sold for oil and essence of violets.
Oil of Par′sley. Syn. Oleum petroselini,
L. From the fresh herb or dried fruit (seed) of Apium petroselinum, or garden parsley. Yellowish; smells strongly of the plant. It consists of two oils, separable by agitation with water, one of which is concrete, and melts at 80° Fahr.; the other, liquid. Prod. Herb, ·50 to 1% (nearly).
Oil of Par′tridge-berry. Syn. Oil of winter-green, Methylo-salycilic ether, Salicylate of oxide of methyl; Oleum gaul-theriæ (Ph. U. S.), L. From the leaves or the whole plant of Gaultheria procumbens, a herb common in North America, and otherwise known by the names—Box-berry, chequer-berry, partridge-berry, mountain tea, winter-green, &c. Pale yellow, growing brown by exposure and age; aromatic; sweet; highly pungent; when diluted, agreeably fragrant; mixed with a dilute solution of potassa, it solidifies to a crystalline mass (salicylate of methyl and potassa), from which the oil may be again separated by the addition of an acid. It is the heaviest of all the essential oils. Sp. gr. 1·173. Boils at 412°, and, when purified, at 435° Fahr.
Oil of partridge-berry, dissolved in rectified spirit, is in common use in the United States of America as an antispasmodic, carminative, diuretic, emmenagogue, and stimulant; chiefly as an adjunct to mixtures, &c.; and also with the view of increasing the flow of milk during lactation. It is likewise extensively used in perfumery, and is an object of great interest to the organic chemist, on account of its peculiar constitution and reaction.