As stated above, the place of growth of a plant exerts a powerful influence on the quality of the odors developed in it; this circumstance may be the reason why certain scents are prized most highly when they are derived from some definite regions, because the buyer is sure that the product from such places is of superior excellence.
Thus we find that English oils of lavender and peppermint are valued more highly and bring better prices than those from other points of production; some places even have, as it were, acquired a monopoly of certain odors. While the factories at Cannes produce the most perfect odors of roses, orange flowers, jasmine, and cassie, those at Nice are famous for the finest odors of violet, reseda (mignonette), and tuberose, and those of Italy for the odors of bergamot and orris root.
Unfortunately there are in the United States no extensive places of cultivation for odoriferous plants, although certain localities are very well adapted to the growth of violets, mignonette, roses, syringa, lavender, etc. Peppermint, however, is grown on a large scale in some parts of New York State and in Michigan. Of course such an enterprise, in order to be profitable, requires the intelligent co-operation of planters and duly qualified chemists, besides well-furnished laboratories and a considerable amount of capital; but under these conditions the prospects of gain are good.
At present the manufacturers of perfumery are almost entirely dependent upon English and French factories for their supply of odors. Owing to the absence of competition, the prices for the products, excellent though they are, are high, and become still more so when the crops are short. These conditions would be materially altered under active competition.
As indicated above, the odors used in perfumery may be divided into three distinct groups according to their origin. These groups are:
1. Odors of vegetable origin.
2. Odors of animal origin.
3. Odors of artificial origin—chemical products.
Before describing the preparation of true perfumes, it is necessary to become acquainted with the several raw materials required in their manufacture; that is to say, the simple odorous substances, their origin, their preparation, and their peculiar qualities. Besides these odorous raw materials, the art of perfumery makes use of a number of chemical and mineral products, whose quality largely influences that of the perfume to be made. These, therefore, likewise call for an appropriate description. Among these auxiliary substances are alcohol, glycerin, fixed oils, and solid fats, which play an important part not only in the preparation of the perfumes, but also enter into the composition of many. The liquid handkerchief perfumes always contain a large quantity of alcohol, the scented hair oils consist largely of fixed oils, while solid fats of animal or vegetable origin occur in the so-called pomades. As we shall see, the actual odors, owing to their extraordinary productiveness, constitute generally only a small percentage of the perfumes; the greatest bulk is usually either alcohol, fixed oil, or solid fat.
Hence, as the last-named substances, aside from the odoriferous materials, form the foundation of all articles of perfumery, the manufacturer must devote particular attention to their purity, and their qualities must be discussed in detail.