Excerpt from A Practical Guide for the Perfumer by Professor H. Dussauce 1868
Formulae of Distilled Waters
Rose Water.
THE pale rose, as the richest in perfume, is selected to make the water. It must be collected in the morning in dry weather. After having separated the leaves, they are introduced into an earthen jar, and one quart of water for every pound is poured upon them. Some add one ounce of salt, and allow it to macerate until the next day. The flowers are placed upon a diaphragm in a metallic cloth, or on a bed of straw spread on the bottom of the alembic. If six or eight pounds of roses are used, they must be covered with double their weight of water. This done, take the alembic, adapt the receiver, and heat slowly to 212°. The distillation then takes place. Be careful to keep the refrigeratory always cold.
To obtain a rose water of good quality, only half of the water poured into the alembic is distilled. Six quarts of water will give three quarts, etc. If more is distilled, the water will be less odoriferous. The durable water is obtained by substituting fresh flowers for those which have already been submitted to distillation, the water of the first distillation being used instead of ordinary water. A new distillation is made, and the water thus obtained is very sweet.
The following waters may be obtained by the same process:-
Jonquil, Lily of the Valley, Nymphea. Wild Poppy, etc.
Orange Flower Water.
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Place in the cucurbit, as indicated above, two pounds of flower and nine pounds of distilled water. To obtain the double and treble water, operate as for rose water. It has been ascertained that orange flower water contains a little acetic acid. It is well to add to the water, before the distillation, a little powdered magnesia, so as to neutralize the acid. The following waters are obtained in the same manner:-
Wormwood, Origanum, Camomile. Sweet Basil. Jonquil.
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Lavender Water.
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Fresh flowers of lavender . . 2 pounds.
Water . . a sufficient quantity.
Distil until one quart is obtained.
Prepare in the same manner the waters of
Sage. Ground Ivy. Thyme, etc.
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Anis Water.
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Aniseed . . 2 pounds.
Water . . a sufficient quantity.
Distil so as to obtain one pint of product.
Prepare in the same manner the waters of
Badiane, Parsely Seeds, Fennel Seeds, Juniper Berries, Valerian Root. Angelica Seeds.
Cinnamon Water.
Ceylon cinnamon . . 2 pounds.
Water . . a sufficient quantity.
Macerate twelve hours; distil afterwards at a gentle heat until four quarts are obtained.
Prepare in the same manner the waters of
Sassafras, Cascarilla, Cloves, Pimento, etc.
Peppermint Water.
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Fresh peppermint tops . . 4 pounds.
Water . . 12 pounds.
Distil until two quarts are obtained. To render this water stronger, pour back the two quarts of water into the alembic, and distil anew until three pints are obtained.
Prepare in the same manner the water of
Hyssop, Mint, Marjoram, Melissa, etc.
Cherry Laurel Water.
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Fresh laurel leaves . . 4 pounds.
Water . . 8 pounds.
Bruise the leaves before introducing them into the alembic, add the water, and distil until two quarts are obtained.
The leaves of peach, almond trees, and willow, are distilled in the same manner; as also the milky waters of orange, bergamot, aniseed, etc.
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Bitter Almond Water.
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Magma, or cake of bitter almonds . . 2 pounds.
Cold water . . 4 pounds.
Dilute the almonds in water, so as to obtain a thin paste, which is introduced into the alembic. Allow it to macerate twenty-four hours, and distil until two quarts of water are obtained. When cold, filter to separate the undissolved oil.
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Lemon Milky Water.
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Fresh lemon zest . . 8 pounds.
Water . . 6 pounds.
Alcohol . . 4 ounces.
Macerate two days and nights in the water and alcohol; then distil until three pints are obtained.
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Bean Flower Water.
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Fresh bean flowers . . 2 pounds.
Water . . 4 pounds.
Macerate one night, and next day distil over a water bath.
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Lily Water.
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Fresh lily flowers . . 2 pounds.
Storax . . 2 ounces.
Water . . 6 pounds.
Macerate eight hours in water, and distil.
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Anagallis Water.
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Anagallis . . 4 pounds.
Benzoin . . 1 ounces.
Water . . 8 pounds.
Macerate twelve hours, and distil.
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Lettuce Water.
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Fresh lettuce . . 10 pounds.
Water . . 20 pounds.
Distil, at a gentle heat, until five quarts are obtained.
Prepare in the same manner the waters of
Plantain. Borage. Parietary, etc.
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Cochlearia Water.
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Fresh cochlearia leaves . . 2 pounds.
Distil at a gentle heat until one quart is obtained.
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Colored Waters for Shop Windows.
White Water.
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Water . . . 2 pints.
Amygdaline soap . . 8 drachms.
Cucumber pomade . . 8 ounces.
Mix the soap with the pomade, and add to the water little by little.
Fine Blue Water. - Solution of sulphate of copper in water, to which has been added an excess of ammonia.
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Prussian Blue Water.
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Prussian Blue . . 8 grains
Oxalic acid . . 16 grains
Water . . 16 ounces
Yellow Water.-Acid solution of chromate of potash with some carbonate of potash.
Lilac Water.-Add a solution of carbonate of ammonia to a solution of nitrate of cobalt until the precipitate is dissolved. Add a little of ammoniacal sulphate of copper.
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Purple Water.
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Sulphate of copper . . 1 ounce.
Carbonate of ammonia . . 1 ½ ounces.
Water . . 2 pounds.
Red Water. - Solution of bichromate of potash.
Another. - Carmine, dissolved in ammonia; decoction of madder, with a little carbonate of ammonia; infusion of wild poppy flowers.
Violet Water. - Mixture of ammonia and sulphate of copper and lilac water.
Green Water. - Mixture of sulphate of copper and hydrochloric acid.
Others. - Solution of sulphate of copper, to which is added hypochlorite of soda; solution of a salt of nickel; mixture of sulphate of copper and bichromate of potash.
Disclaimer:
The 'Smelling History' series has been published for purposes of entertainment & education. It is not recommended to recreate the formulas and instructions outlined here. The methods and materials in these historical exerts could be extremely dangerous.