These are strictly pure water charged by distillation with the volatile, aromatic, and odorous principles of plants; or they are solutions of these principles, chiefly the essential oils, in distilled water. The simple fragrant waters of the perfumers are of the former kind; those of the wholesale druggists and of pharmacy belong to either class, according to the mode of their preparation.

1071. Proportions of Aromatics Submitted to Distillation for Making Perfumed Waters

1071. Proportions of Aromatics Submitted to Distillation for Making Perfumed Waters. The vegetable matter (bruised, if necessary), in the quantity ordered, is to be put into the still along with 2 gallons of pure water, but only 1 gallon drawn over. In this way the finest fragrant distilled waters may be produced from all flowers, and other aromatic vegetable substances. The points requisite to be attended to are, that the flowers be fresh, gathered after the sun has risen and the dew exhaled, and that sufficient water be used to prevent the flowers being burned, but not much more than is sufficient for this purpose. The quantities usually directed are: Roses, 8 pounds (avoirdupois); water, 2 gallons (Imperial); distill 1 gallon for single, and the same water with 8 pounds of fresh roses for double rose water. The usual quantities of aromatic material required in proportion to the amount of distilled water to be obtained, are given in classified form in the Journal de Pharmacie as follows: Fresh aromatic plants, such as wormwood, black-cherry, scurvy-grass, hyssop, cherry-laurel, lavender, balm, mint, peach-leaves, roses, and sage, require 1 part of the plant for each part distilled product desired. Fresh and dry aromatics, as bitter almonds, orange-flowers, melilot, horseradish, elder, and tansy, require 1 part of the plant to 2 parts of distilled product. Dry and very aromatic plants, as angelica, green anise, juniper berries, camomile, canella, cascarilla, fennel, sassafras, linden-flowers, and valerian, require 1 part of the plant to each 4 parts of distillate. These proportions will be some guide both in respect of the distilled waters referred to, and others not included in the list. In general, druggists draw over 2 gallons of water from the respective quantities of flowers, herbs, bark, or seeds, ordered in the pharmacopoeias, quantity rather than quality being their object. Manufacturing perfumers, on the contrary, either use an excess of flowers for their finer odoriferous waters, or they preserve only the first and stronger portion of the water that distills over; the remainder being separately collected and used for a second distillation with fresh flowers. In some cases, where a very superior quality is desired, they re-distill the water of the first distillation and preserve only the first 2/3, or even only the first half, that passes over.

1072. Elder-flower Water, Acacia-flower Water, and Bean-flower Water

1072.     Elder-flower Water, Acacia-flower Water, and Bean-flower Water, are prepared in the same manner as rose water. (See Nos. 1071 (Proportions of Aromatics Submitted to Distillation for Making Perfumed Waters) and 1079.)