The price of the latter is apparently disproportionately high; for all that, only the most expensive materials should be bought, for it is the only kind that can be used. Let us give but two instances in illustration. We find in the market, grades of vanilla the prices of which are as one to four; the latter is fresh and contains the aromatic substance in large amount; the former is old, dry, and worthless, with an artificial glossy surface and little odor. The differences in the price are still greater in an aromatic substance of animal origin, musk, the cheapest grades of which are altogether artificial and perfumed with a mere trace of genuine musk. Of course, the same remark applies to the raw materials of animal origin and to the chemical products, all of which should be of the greatest purity obtainable. The aromatic substances at present employed in perfumery for the extraction of odors are the following. ALLSPICE. _Latin_—Pimenta; _French_—Piment; _German_—Piment; Nelkenpfeffer. This spice consists of the fruit berries, at first green, later black, of the Eugenia Pimenta, indigenous to Central America and the Antilles. It is chiefly used in the manufacture of liqueurs, less in perfumery, though it may be employed as an addition to certain strong odors, particularly that of oil of bay; it serves very nicely for scenting cheap soap. ANISE. _Latin_—Pimpinella Anisum; _French_—Anis; _German_—Anis. This well-known plant, which is cultivated in many localities on a large scale, belongs to the Order of Umbelliferæ. The seeds contain about three per cent of a very aromatic essential oil which finds application in the manufacture of soap and in cheap perfumery; it is chiefly used as a flavoring for liqueurs. Good anise must have a light green color, an agreeable sweetish odor, and a sharp taste. In order to increase the weight, anise is occasionally moistened with water; such seeds look swollen, are apt to become slimy, and then furnish a less fragrant oil. Anise is not to be confounded with star-anise, which will be mentioned hereafter. BALM. _Latin_—Melissa officinalis; _French_—Melisse; _German_—Melissenkraut. Melissa officinalis, an herbaceous plant with large, beautiful flowers, which grows wild in our woods, contains a very sweet-smelling oil in small quantities. This can be extracted by distillation from the fresh herb, and furnishes very fine perfumes. Oil of Melissa of the market is, however, usually an East Indian oil, derived from Andropogon citratus. See under Citronella. BAY (SWEET BAY). _Latin_—Laurus nobilis; _French_—Laurier; _German_—Lorbeerfrüchte. The fruits of the bay-tree contain much essential oil which is used less in the manufacture of perfumery than for scenting soap. Venice is the most important point of export. See the next article. BAY (WEST INDIAN). _Latin_—Myrcia acris; _French_—(Huile de) Bay; _German_—Bay (-Oel).