In about six weeks or two months, the operator will have a most excellent ground-work for Naples soap, which only requires perfuming in the following manner, to render it even preferable to the foreign sorts.
Take of oil of rhodium, one ounce, of spirit of ambergris, two ounces and a half, spirit of musk, half an ounce; mix these well together, and then put the compound into the pan of soap. Stir the whole well, and incorporate the perfumes with the soap, on a marble stone by means of a muller. Put up into small jars, or preserve in a mass in a large jar, according to sale or convenience. If kept for twelve months, this soap will be found, by comparison, to be far preferable to the best soap that ever came from Naples.
SIMPLE DISTILLED WATERS.
340. PRESERVATION OF FLOWERS FOR DISTILLATION.
Rub three pounds of rose-leaves for three minutes with a pound of common salt. The flowers being bruised by the friction of the grains of salt, form a paste, which is to be put into an earthen jar, or into a water-tight barrel. The same process is to be repeated until the vessel is filled, so that all the roses may be equally salted. The vessel is then to be shut up and kept in a cool place until wanted.
For distillation, this aromatic paste is, at any season, to be put into the body of the still with twice its weight of water; and when heat is applied, the oil, or essential water, is to be obtained in the common way. Both the oil and water are in this way produced in greater quantity than by using the leaves without the salt: besides, the preserved paste will keep its flavour and strength unimpaired for several years.
Other flowers, capable of affording essential oils may also be treated in the above-mentioned way, with economy and advantage; as there is thereby no occasion to carry on a hurried process in the heat of summer, when these are in perfection.
341. GENERAL RULES FOR THE DISTILLATION OF SIMPLE WATERS.
1. Plants and their parts ought to be fresh gathered. When they are directed fresh, such only must be employed; but some are allowed to be used dry, as being easily procurable in this state at all times of the year, though rather more elegant waters might be obtained from them whilst green.