ONDON (AP) -- Call it Eau d'Underground -- aromatherapy for weary commuters.

Perfumed ''air enhancer'' was released into three busy London subway stations Monday, the start of a monthlong trial to see whether a sweet smell can improve the journeys of subway passengers.

London Underground describes the fragrance as a ''rich, rosy, jasmine bouquet with a touch of herbs'' -- though one passenger likened it to a cross between perfume and insect repellent.

''We are constantly looking at ways to make our stations more pleasant,'' said Mike Brown, the Underground's director of station services. ''With over 3 million passengers a day, we admit that the Underground can become an interesting collection of odors -- some nice, some not so nice.''

London Underground describes the smell inside stations as a ''mix of musty air and detergent.'' Grease, dust and body odor add to the miasma in the Tube's dank tunnels, many of which are more than 100 years old.

''You have a greasy note from the wheels and rails, as well as the odor of people and of food. Because it is an enclosed space, the odor is enhanced,'' said Pierre Nuyens, the French perfumer who created the new fragrance.

A coat of the slow-release freshener will be sprayed onto station floors each day after their early-morning cleaning. It dries into a film of microscopic bubbles, which release their scent when walked on.

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-- Anonymous, April 23, 2001