Good morning colleagues! It’s the first of a multi-part treat for you today! Segueing quite nicely, if I do say so myself, from Miss Alyssa Rynne’s letter last week, I’m very excited to present the first in a series of correspondence between her and our Amazonian Exploress Theodosia LaDuke. Let’s see what happens when you put those two minds together!
Alyssa, 
I hope this package finds you well. After the arrival of your Osmanthus seedlings last spring I am happy to send you these wonderful oils, which I have extracted from not just the stems and leaves as you suggested, but also the fruit. I do believe this to be the first time anyone has used a press to extract Osmanthus oil and I will be sending my report on to the institute for publication on the matter. These oils are simply astounding, as I’m sure you well know; the oil from the fruit is sweet and earthy, as if it were a cross between a fig and an olive. I am sure these will make a most wondrous perfume.
Once I was able to have my torch and glass rods airdropped in, going about setting up a distillation laboratory was surprisingly simple. Here in the Amazon, the natives have never seen such advanced technology and were more than happy to learn. I now have a full staff of laboratory technologists! (I should write to Dr. Erma and see if she can recommend a good seamstress for appropriate laboratory attire.) This of course does not even take into account the lovely garden I have erected outside my hut. The soil composition and tropical air are perfect for growing most any fruit or flower I desire.
I have also sent along a couple more native oils for you to try out. I am sure the blend of Osmanthus with these oils will produce a spicy/indolic floral scent, though the osmanthus brings out the earthy side, with a musky/sweet blend of woods and spice. Please do be sure to send me a bottle when you have blended it. I will not be able to wear it here in the tropics but would love to have it on hand for my next journey to London.
With much love and affection,
Theodosia LaDuke
LTFK
Mmmm… I’m sure any perfume Miss Alyssa wore was absolutely divine. Having botanical experts and scientists as friends certainly has its perks! And it’s so nice to read what a pleasant time Miss LaDuke was having in the Amazon, all settled in with a nice hut and garden, and see more of her beautiful sketches as well. As I mentioned before, I have more on this subject to bring you next week (Hint: I have friends who know about perfume too.) You won’t want to miss it!
The Ladies of Mischief 