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

JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY OF COSMETIC CHEMISTS --the glycines or bujacies. The fragrance of the blossoms of this alba or white species closely approaches that of the fundamentals of the honeysuckle and clematis, but re- quires a little backnote support from tuberose and cyclamen. (L) APPLE BLOSSOM. This is included within this group because it is evident, from many perfumery catalogues, that the apple blossom fragrance finds a growing accept- ance, particularly in America. It is noteworthy that the floral calendar in Japan follows a beautiful sequence of these short-lived "con- fetti" or "snow-flake" fruit-tree blossoms--the plum, peach and cherry--the fragrance of which, in- cluding that of the apple, apricot and pear, can be achieved in com- parative simplicity by carefully balanced variations upon the rose- neroli-lilac theme, appropriately shaded with hawthorn, mimosa and ylang. (P) COWSLIP. The Prim•la veris, common cow's-lip or paigle (French: la primertire). It is remarkable that such small blossoms are able to exude so powerful and last- ing a fragrance, which incidentally is rapidly imparted to dilute spirit after a few minutes' maceration. The odour pattern can, I think, be found in the lily-lilac complex in which the neroli is subdued, but in the cultivated varieties, for instance, the P. japonica or the P. rosaL some slight assistance from the wintergreen and clover salicylates is a necessary adjunct. If clary sage is used instead, then a very close simulation to the deeper-toned fragrance of the P. elatior--the Ox-lip, results. (S) NIGHT-SCENTED STOCK. The Stock-gilliflowers (French: girofide de Mahon, des jardins Viollet d'6t•, or •fatthiola annua) present an intriguing gamut of fragrance, the fundamentals of which are somewhat elusive, as this would seem to partake somewhat of the rose-jasmin of honeysuckle, and the muguet-lilac from the tobacco-flower, as well as some elements from the cowslip. Expressed in its simplest units, how- ever, lilac, lily and •rose provide a good foundation, to which the addi- tion of the hawthorn-mimosa top- notes of apple-blossom rounds off the bouquet in a very pleasing manner. (G) AZALEA. I can find no satis- factory reason for these beautiful shrubby plants, with their richly coloured, highly fragrant bell-shaped flowers, deriving their name from the Greek word--azaleos, meaning dry. The plant is a native of the Far East, as well as of N. America, and some indication of the perfume can be observed in such common names as Mayflower, and the wild, upright or American Honeysuckle. The flowers, single and double, are of many col- ours (for instance, A. indica, a brilliant crimson, and A. pontica, a bright yellow), but for the greatest beauty in colour and fragrance the A. sinensis is regarded in Japan as the sweetest-s.melling of the innumer- able varieties, for the cultivation of which special gardens are maintained. In a general way, the floral com- position shows the elements of muguet, rose and jasmin, almost any 198