The stronger, though less delicate, cassie is grown from seeds, which are contained in pods which betray the connection of this plant with the leguminous family. After being steeped in water they are sown in a warm and well sheltered spot. When two feet high the young plant is grafted and transplanted to the open ground—ground well exposed to the sun and sheltered from the cold winds. It flourishes best in the neighborhood of Grasse and Cannes. The season of flowering is from October to January or February, according to the presence or absence of frost. The flowers are gathered twice a week in the daytime, and are brought to the factories in the evening. They are here subjected to maceration.
JONQUIL.
A plant of humbler growth is the jonquil. The bulbs of this are set out in rows. The flowers put in an appearance about the end of March, four or five on each stem. Each flower as it blooms is picked off at the calyx. They are treated by maceration and enfleurage, chiefly the latter. The harvesting period of the jonquil is of very short duration, and it often takes two seasons for the perfumer to finish off his pomades of extra strength. The crop is also very uncertain.
JASMIN.
A more reliable crop is that of the jasmin. This plant is reared from cuttings of the wild jasmin, which are put in the earth in rows with trenches between. Level ground is chosen; if hillside only is available, this is formed into a series of terraces. When strong enough, the young stem is grafted with shoots of the Jasminum grandiflorum. The first year it is allowed to run wild, the second it is trained by means of rods, canes and other appliances. At the approach of winter the plants are banked up with earth to half their height. The exposed parts then die off. When the last frost of winter is gone the earth is removed, and what remains of the shrub is trimmed and tidied up for the coming season. It grows to four or five feet. Support is given by means of horizontal and upright poles, which join the plants of one row into a hedge-like structure. Water is provided by means of the ditches already mentioned. When not used for this purpose, the trenches allow of the passage of women and children to gather the flowers. These begin to appear in sufficient quantity to repay collecting about the middle of July. The jasmin is collected as soon as possible after it blooms. This occurs in the evening, and up to about August 15, early enough for the blossoms to be gathered the same day. They are delivered at the factories at once, where they are put on to the chassis immediately; the work on them continuing very often till long after midnight. Later on in the year they are gathered in the early morning directly the dew is off. The farmer is up betimes, and as soon as he sees the blossoms are dry he sounds a bugle (made from a sea shell) to announce the fact to those engaged to pick for him.
TUBEROSE.
The tuberose is planted in rows in a similar way to the jasmin. The stems thrown up by the bulbs bear ten or twelve flowers. Each flower as it blooms is picked off. The harvesting for the factories takes place from about the first week in July to the middle of October. There is an abundant yield, indeed, after this, but it is only of service to the florist, the valued scent not being present in sufficient quantity. The flowers are worked up at the factory directly they arrive by the enfleurage process.
MIGNONETTE.
The reseda, or mignonette, is planted from seed, as here in England. The flowering tops are used to produce the huile or pomade.