EAU DE COLOGNE, a perfume, so named from the city of Cologne, where its manufacture was first established by an Italian, Giovanni Maria Farina, born in 1685, and by other members of his family, some of whom made it according to a method due to one Paul Feminis. In 1874 there were in Cologne 35 establishments for the preparation of the perfume, 28 of which were in the hands of persons bearing the name of Farina. Eau de Cologne consists of a solution of various essential oils in strong alcohol. The purity and thorough blending of the ingredients are of the greatest importance in the process of manufacture. It was originally prepared by making a spirituous infusion of certain flowers, pot-herbs, drugs, and spices, and adding thereto, after distillation, definite quantities of several vegetable essences. See Laboulaye, Dictionnaire des Arts et Manufactures, vol. ii., s.v. “Parfumerie.”