JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY OF COSMETIC CHEMISTS rose-violet-lilac facade, but embel- lished with a trace of peach lactone and propyl butyrate to achieve the characteristically fruity apricot-plum topnote. (T) CYCLAMEN. This name is also of Greek origin, signifying cir- cular, in alluding to the roundness of the leaves or the roots. We have by now probably become accustomed to the usage of "cyclamen aidehyde" which undoubtedly closely ap- proaches the fragrance of the Persian cyclamen but, bearing in mind that the simple old-fashioned flower is of Austrian origin and a member of the primrose family, it is agreeably sur- prising to note that, if the green notes of violet, lilac and muguet are accentuated and backed with a little tuberose and a trace of vanilla and peach, the resulting aroma is a very close simulation of the more delicate fragrance of the Cyclamen (J) TO•ACCO-FLOWEn. Itisinter- esting to note that the Nicotiana tabacurn belongs to the N.O. ace• (Latin: solanum •- comfort), which group contains many soothing and narcotic plants, but in common with the evening primrose, night- scented stock, jasmin and honey- suckle, it is with the approach to dew point in the cool of the evening that these peculiarly ethereal and almost anazsthetic fragrances are liberated. Without doubt, the jasmin element is very prominent in the build-up of this perfume, but I think that if the tonal elements are kept simple, the results are far better than those which include among many com- ponents some organic chemicals of particularly harsh odour. For instance, in the tobacco-flower motif, I think both the lilac and lily are necessary components to the jasmin, and if in these bases the terpineol content is replaced with cyclamen aidehyde, the result is a good simulation of the ethereal fragrance of the living flower, ob- served under appropriate conditions. Furthermore, if to the above base, when finalised, a little labdanum, clary sage or mimosa is added, the warmer and oriental note of the N. acurninata, more familiar as Latakia, shows a pleasing alternative. (D) MAgNOLiA. Although it would appear from the literature that most impressions of the fragrance of the M. grandifora are based upon ylang, I find in some of the earlier horti- cultural texts an agreement upon a • basic lily-of-the-valley odour. Jasmin is again an essential and, if the cyclamen-mu•met base, as used for the nicotiana, is supplemented by neroli with a slightly balsamic undertone, such a compound, when diluted with spirit and sprayed, develops a note very similar to the characteristic, Iinden-ylang fragrance of the distance-wafted perfume of the magnolia in full bloom. (}3) LABURNUM. This readily comes to the mind as an elegant tree, drooping its golden chain (or rain) of bloasoms, which are practically odourless. The Latin name of this tree would appear to be derived from the "hour of labour," an allusion to the habit of the leaflets closing by 196

SIMPLE FLORAL PERFUMES night and expanding by day. It is, however, also known by its Alpine names of L'aubours and Cytise des Alpes, the latter being the French equivalent for the bean-trefoil. Oc- casionally another synonym is en- countered, namely, the "Sweet-pea tree," which causes no undue sur- prise, as botanically the Laburnum is a member of the Leguminos•e-- the bean and pea family--and, furthermore, it is closely related to the Common Broom. It is, however, with the L. nigra or black Cytisus that we encounter a laburnum Of perfumery interest. Although only occasionally encountered in England, this is not a tree but a shrub, which seldom grows higher than three or four feet, but the fragrance of this Silesian plant also has the jasmin- neroli fundamental of the magnolia, ylang and similar zephyr-wafted odours, and if this base is comple- mented by violet, the tonality is then in close agreement with the similar air-borne scent of a field of bean blossoms. (0) CLEMATIS. The C. vitalba (Greek: = klema, a vine twig, Latin: = white vine) resembles the honeysuckle and wistaria in its climbing and rambling habits, but the blossoms of this hedgerow "traveller's joy" and most of the domesticated varieties are practically odourless, while some species (for instance, the C. fiammula) are acrid and resemble poison ivy, inasmuch as handling corrodes and inflames the skin, whence it has been named la flammule. There are, however, more agreeable species, and among these are certain non-climbing plants which show more clearly the relationship to the buttercup family to which the genus belongs, and of these, the C. rnari- tima, the Algerian w/nter-flowering clematis, is perhaps the best known. This possesses a very sweet and attractive fragrance, which I believe can be matched by a warm amaryllis note based upon neroli and muguet with a somewhat subdued violet- iris background. (R) DAPHNE. Although perhaps more familiar as the mezereon, this flowering shrub, known in some districts as the spurge laurel, spurge ohve or dwarf bay, usually has a myrtle-blossom type of odour, but more definite fragrances are observed with many of the much smaller species. For instance, the D. indica and the D. cneorum seem to partake somewhat of the convolvulus violet- muguet background, but accentu- ated by a strong rosy note, and bases compounded along these lines with- out further embellishment closely resemble the odour of the living plants. (M) WISTARIA. Like the labur- num, this also belongs to the N.O. Leguminosa•, the best-known species of which are the W. sinensis (or chinensis), the Chinese kidney-bean tree. The immensely long sprays of delicate mauve flowers of the far- famed W. multijuga (or fioribunda) are associated throughout the world with the name of Japan, but the odour of these blossoms is compara- tively faint when compared with that of the early-flowering white wistarias, 197