The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1875-11-17


Artificial flowers are one of tie char
aatelistic textures of our modern civil
zatfon. which it's not only difficult but
almost impossible to trace to their exact
origin. At least, their manufacture has
introduced want that people now feel
as they do the need of coal. 1t seems
that they were first made by ladies, and
instituting as an amusement as much
for profit as pleasure, having for its OBJ
jet the cutting of artificial flowers from
Swiss muslin nainsooks, a fine material,
resembling linen. Imagination can de-
pict the fine ladies of two hundred years
ago, congregating together and industri-
ously- setting to work over what was then
but a pastifle, but has since grown into
one of the great industries. The ladies
of old used these artificial flowers for
much the same purpose as they are APP
piled to-day, tor head-dresses of different
kinds and ornaments to hats, and also
the dress generally. In addition to these
uses, they are largely used at present in
the Roman Catholic churches in Europe
and this country, and where one might
have supposed he saw a great abundance
of elegant real flowers heaped up in a
bountiful profusion upon the altar, there
was in reality, only colorod and pasted
Swiss muslin or the well known nainsook.
In the Catholic church, also, girls taking
| their first communion wear a handsome
wreath of artificial flowers, while the
boys going for the first time TO the same
ceremony, carry large bouquet OF SIM
| liar flowers in their hand.
= Co.. ba IaI:aa oo~,,v1arao1 fo 1r,
| the work with theirsscissors, the demand
| for the new flowers became all the rage,
| SO much so that tools were invented and
the manufacture of artificial flowers was
actually established. In well organized
establishment of fair proportions there
are at least not less than fifteen hundred
of these tools, and the entire number of
them is constantly employed in the ordi-
nary daily routine.
The muslin is laid in several thick
nesses on a block of lead, and cut out
with these dies; each flower, leaf and
sprig neeessitates a separate die. The
next process is the coloring, most deli
cate task, as all the fine tints and shades
of the flower depend upon the result of
this work. The leaves when dry, are
ready for curling, or the giving to them
| of the requisite shape preparatory to the
next stage In the manufacture. When
all the different sizes of the flowers
leaves are curled into the proper shape.
the heart or seed of the flower is formed
as base, and then the leaves or pieces
tied around with fine floss silk, or else
pasted in their proper positions until the
flower is finished Stems are made by
winding cotton and paper or gauze.
around wire. Spirals are the result of
twisting paper together, and are very
pretty combinations with leaves and
flowers, especially among vines. The
number of hands employed in a factory,
taking as basis those giving occupation
to thirty girls, would be about in the fol-
lowing ratio: A forewoman, to generally
overlook the work, who is paid about
twenty dollars per week; one colorer,
who has twelve to fifteen dollars per
week; some six branchers, who get from
eight to twelve dollars thirty girls, VINO
receive each from two to eight dollars
per week, according to the work they do.
There has been no material change in
the make up of flowers for years in
fact, it may be said that the manufacture
of artificial flowers has reached a point
where advance seems impossible, unless
some entirely new method for making
them is brought forward and the whole
present system is revolutionized. But
taste rules differently at different times,
and this makes the fashion when old
styles are reproduced and new ones are
put aside to be again brought into notice
as occasion may require.