Cajuput Leaves.
Latin—Folia Cajuputi.
The leaves of Melaleuca Cajuputi, a tree found in the Indian and Malay Archipelago, which have an aromatic odor resembling that of cardamoms. In the Orient the leaves are used as incense and for the extraction of the oil they contain.
Camphor Wood.
Latin—Lignum Camphoræ; French—Bois de camphre; German—Campherholz.
The wood of the Camphor-tree, native of China and Japan, is exceedingly rich in essential oil, the firm, white, and strong-scented camphor. The latter is usually prepared from the wood at the home of the tree, especially in Formosa and Japan, so that the wood hardly forms an article of commerce and is here enumerated only for completeness’ sake. In China and in Japan, however, it is largely used for the manufacture of cloth-chests, trunks and wardrobes, as these are never invaded by insects.
Caraway Seed.
Latin—Semen Carvi; French—Carvi; German—Kümmelsamen.
This plant, Carum Carvi, which is largely cultivated in Germany, contains in its seeds from four to seven per cent of essential oil which is extracted by distillation. Genuine caraway seed is brownish-yellow, pointed at both ends, quite glabrous on examination with a lens, and marked with five longitudinal ribs. Caraway is occasionally confounded with cumin seed, from Cuminum Cyminum, which is easily recognized with a lens: the seeds of the latter plant have fourteen longitudinal ribs and are hairy. The use of caraway in perfumery is limited to ordinary goods, but in the manufacture of liqueurs it is largely employed.
Cascarilla Bark.
Latin—Cortex Cascarillæ; French—Cascarille; German—Cascarillarinde.
This is the bark of a West Indian tree, Croton Eluteria, belonging to the Order of Euphorbiaceæ, native of the Bahamas. It occurs in commerce in the shape of pieces the length and thickness of a finger; externally it is white and fissured, internally of a brown color and resinous. Good qualities should be free from dust and fractured pieces (sifted cascarilla), of a warm aromatic taste, and a very agreeable odor which becomes more marked on being heated. Another variety of cascarilla derived from South Africa, Cascarilla gratissima, has very fragrant leaves which can be used immediately as incense, just as cascarilla in general is employed in perfumery chiefly for fumigating powders and waters.
Cassie.
Latin—Acacia farnesiana; French—Cassie; German—Acacie.
The flowers of Acacia farnesiana (Willd.), one of the true acacias, native of the East Indies, which flourishes farther north than the other varieties, cultivated largely in southern France for the delightful odor which resembles that of violets but is more intense. The flowers are collected and made to yield their odorous principle by one of the methods to be described hereafter. The plant which is generally but falsely called Acacia in this country, viz., Robinia pseudoacacia, likewise bears very fragrant flowers which undoubtedly can be made to yield a perfume by some one of the usual methods; but so far we know of no perfume into which the odor of Robinia flowers enters. Moreover, it is not alone the flowers of Acacia farnesiana which may be utilized for the preparation of the cassie perfume; the black currant, Ribes niger, contains in its flowers an odor closely resembling the former; this is actually used in the preparation of an oil sold under the name of “oil of cassie.” The latter plant flourishes in our northern States and would answer as a substitute for Acacia farnesiana, which cannot stand our northern winters.