119. Method of extracting Essences from Flowers.

Procure a wooden box lined with tin, that the wood may not communicate any disagreeable flavour to the Flowers, nor imbibe the Essence. Make several straining frames to fit the Box, each about two inches thick, and drive in them a number of hooks, on which fix a piece of callicoe stretched tight. The utmost care is requisite, to have the straining cloths perfectly clean and dry before they are used.

After having caused the cloths to imbibe as much Oil of Ben as possible, squeeze them a little, then stretch and fix them on the hooks of the frames; put one frame thus completed at the bottom of the box, and upon its cloth strow equally those flowers, the essence of which you intend to extract; cover them with another frame, on the cloth of which you are to strow more flowers, and continue to act in the same manner till the box is quite filled. The frames being each about two inches thick, the flowers undergo very little pressure, though they lye between the cloths. At the expiration of twelve hours, apply fresh flowers in the same manner, and continue so to do for some days. When you think the scent powerful enough, take the cloths from the frames, fold them in four, roll them up, and tie them tight with a piece of whip-cord, to prevent their stretching out too much, then put them into a press, and squeeze out the oil. The press must be lined with tin, that the wood may not imbibe any part of the oil. Place underneath a very clean earthen or glass vessel to receive the essence, which is to be kept in bottles nicely corked.

The essence of one kind of flower only, can be made in a box at the same time, for the scent of one would impair that of another. For the same reason, the cloths that have been used to extract the essence of any particular flower, cannot be used to extract the essence of another, till washed clean in a strong lye, and thoroughly dried in the open air. This method is of great use to obtain the scent of flowers which afford no Essential Oil by distillation, such as Tuberoses, Jasmine, and several others.

120. Or,

Take any flowers you please, and put them in a large jar, layer by layer, mixed with Salt, as directed for inflammable Spirit of Roses, till the jar is quite full; then cork it tight, and let it stand in a cellar, or some other cool place, for forty days; at the expiration of which time, empty the whole into a sieve, or straining cloth, stretched over the mouth of a glazed earthen or stone pan, to receive the essence that drains from the flowers upon squeezing them gently. Afterwards put the essence into a glass bottle, which must not be filled above two thirds; cork it tight, and expose it to the heat of the sun in fine weather, five and twenty or thirty days, to purify the essence, a single drop of which will be capable of scenting a quart of Water or any other Liquid.

121. Essence of Ambergrise.

Take of Ambergrise a quarter of an ounce; the same quantity of Sugar Candy; Musk, half a drachm; and Civet, two grains; rub them together, and put the mixture into a Phial: pour upon it a quarter of a pint of tartarised Spirit of Wine, stop close the Phial, which set in a gentle sand heat for four or five days, and then decant the clear Tincture for use. This makes the best of perfumes; the least touch of it leaves its scent upon any thing a great time; and in constitutions where such sweets are not offensive to the head, nothing can be a more immediate Cordial.

122. A Remedy for St. Anthony's Fire or Erysipelatous Eruptions on the Face.

Take Narcissus Roots, an ounce; fresh Nettle-seeds, half an ounce; beat them together into a soft Paste with a sufficient quantity of White Wine Vinegar, and anoint the eruptions therewith every night; or, bathe the part affected with the Juice of Cresses.