Capensis as one of the most brilliant of autumnal flowering shrubs,
though ornamental only.
J a c k s o n ia c u p u life r a , Meissner.
West-Australia. I t might prove an advantage, to disseminate this
small tree in arid desert-regions, as horses and cattle relish the foliage
amazingly. Several other Jaoksonias share the local renown, which
this congener of theirs has acquired from its utility as a pasture-bush,
notably so the tall-shrubby J . sooparia of South-Eastern Australia ;
it would, therefore, be worth while to disseminate these kinds of
plants in apt localities.
J a sm in um g ra n d iflo rum , Linné.*
From India to Japan. Flowers white. Extensively cultivated in
South-Europe. I t is planted in rows 3 feet apart. Leek, tuberoses
and similar plants are used, to occupy the spare-ground for the first
year ; 1,000 plants in the second year after grafting produce 50 kilos
(about 1 cwt.) of flowers in rich soil. Ten thousand lbs., can be
produced on a hectare (nearly 2-J- acres) ; these under very favorable
circumstances will realize a profit of £230 per annum. Dr. Piesse
records, th a t in very recent times at Grasse, Cannes and the adjoining
villages about 100,000 lbs. of Jasmin-flowers were gathered annually
for perfumery-purposes, the price there being about Is. a lb. According
to the “ Revue des Sciences Naturelles Appliquées ” of May
1891 p. 720, the quantity seems to have risen to fully 300,000 lbs.,
gathered from the middle of May to the end of June. The plants
must be guarded against frost and exposure to wind [Dehérain].
May sometimes be attacked by TJromyoes Cunuingliami (Barclay).
In France this jasmin is generally grafted on J . officinale. The
bushes are richly manured and well watered. Ordinary cleft-grafting
is practised, the stock being headed down to near the ground. A
good workman and assistant will graft about 1,000 plants in a day.
The delicate scent is withdrawn, either by fixed oil or fat through
alcohol, if not required by itself, or it may be drawn over along with
oil of orange-peel. The pecuniary yield obtainable from Jasmin-
oultivation seems vastly overrated, even if inexpensive labour could
be procured. The concrete oil is an article of commerce. Messrs.
Blogg prepare it in the following superior aud expeditious manner
here : Fresh flowers without stalks are macerated for some few
minutes in deodorized methyl-chloride ; the liquid is then allowed to
run off into a closed receiver for subsequent distillation ; this maceration
proceeds till all scent is withdrawn by additional methyl ; the
distillation is effected a t a temperature of only about 86° E.; this
volatises the methyl-chloride, which when thus regained is used for
treatment of other lots of flowers. The concrete oil, as containing
the perfuming principle in a waxy or fatty nature, remains behind
after the evaporation of the methyl, and is worth about 30 shillings
an ounce. A small quantity of this solid substance suffices for preparing
a good deal of the “ essence ” ordinarily in use.
i l
J a sm in um o d o r a tis s im um , Linné.*
Madeira. Shrubby like the rest. Flowers yellow. Used like
the foregoing and following for perfumery. This may he prepared
by spreading the flowers upon wool or cotton, slightly saturated with
olive or other fixed oil, and covering them with other layers so prepared.
The flowers are renewed from time to time until the oil is
thoroughly pervaded by the scent, when the latter is withdrawn by
alcohol. Other modes of extracting the oil seem feasible.
J a sm in um offloinale, Linné.*
From the Caucasus to China. Flowers white. This is the principal
species cultivated in South-Europe for its scent. In Cannes
and Nice about 180,000 lbs. of jasmin-flowers are produced annually
for distillation [Regel]. By Simmonnet’s process the essence of
jasmin is solidified as jasminin.
J a sm in um S am b a o , Aiton.
From India to Japan. I t has the richest perfume of all. The
bush attains a height of 20 feet, and is almost climbing. The flowers
are white, and must be collected in the evening before expansion.
The relative value of many other species of jasmin, nearly all from
the warmest parts of Asia, seems in no instance to have been ascertained,
so far as their oils or scents are concerned. The Australian
species are also deliciously fragrant, amongst which J . lineare, Br.,
occurs in Victorian deserts ; while also J . didymum, Forst., J . raoe-
mosum, F. v. M., J . simplicifolium, Forst., J . calcareum, F. v. M.,
and J . suavissimum, Lindl., reach extra-tropical latitudes.
J o a n n e s ia p rin c e p s , Vellozo. (Anda Gomesii, A. de Jussieu.)
Southern Brazil. A large tree, likely hardy in any region free of
frost. The oil of the seeds serves like th a t of Ricinus, with the
advantage of its being of rather pleasant taste, and being required in
much lesser quantity [Martins]. This oil, on account of its quickly
drying, has come into use also for painting in oil-colours [Rosenthal].
J u b æ a sp e o ta b ilis , Humboldt.*
The tall and stout Coquito-Palm of Chili, extending spontaneously
to 37° South ; hardy still in Valdivia. Has endured at Montpellier
a winter-cold of 10° F. [Count Kerohove de Denterghem]. As hardy
as Pinus Halepensis, if not more so [Prof. Sahut]. The stem reaches
a height of 60 feet, and is tinged towards the middle ; the leaves are
sometimes 10 feet long. A kind of treacle is obtained from the sap
of this palm. A good tree will give 90 gallons of mellaginous sap
[C. Darwin]. This is condensed into a marketable Palm-honey, of
which according to a statement in the “ Indian Forester,” xvii., 7,18,
in one of the warehouses of Palmas de Ocoa, 200,000 tins were