The daily gazette., 1877-08-14
Woodland Treasures.
HOW TO SELECT, GATHER AND
PRESERVE FEkNS, GRASSES AND

Ferns ani autumn leaves are every year
becoming more popular as drawing-room
decorations. TastsIulIy arranged they add
greatly to the beauty oil room, while II Is
but little trouble 10 gather aud preserve
them. Truly, florists keep them as part OF
their stock la trade, and you may buy them
all pressed aud Ready for use by the quant'-
ty If you 1esire but there Is q present
pleasure in collecting them and pleasure
afterward in treasuring them ne souvenirs
of woodland rambles and pleasant country
excursions Delicate terns are preltiest |;
the coarser varieties do not pay Tor the
gathering IL is best to take large book
into the woods and lay the fern into 1t as
gathered but this Is not always practica-
bic. Put them to press, however, as soon
as possible, since some kinds will not re-
main fresh even for day IN water. Lay
them smoothly in large volume, and tie
string around the book thus will be all
the pressure they will need heavy pressure
gives them a smashed look. We have
pressed them satisfactorily, merely by using
folded newspapers put smoothly under The
movable hat>box in a Saratoga trunk.
Autumn leaves require more care, and the
greatest pains must be taken to keep them
from becoming mndewed. A day or two
alter putting them to press examine thenb
W oSo Htshoy oio ahu ~ SoS
the papers between which they lie. The
first step is to dry them, after which they
may be sept indetinitely but bsiore using
tor decorative purposes there are many
methods bv which their beauty MAJ be i'm
proved. Some press them with warm
(not ho) waxed iron others varnlsh them
with a solution OF gum-sheliac, which lm-
parts a brilliant but stuff appearances; others
use barely warm iron smeared thinly
with spermacetl, wtich the iron must DO
warm enough 10 KEEP liquid. Dogwood,
maple, oak and suudch leaves all kevp
their color well, anu ure beautiful when
pressed The poison ivy-''the i've finger"
it is sometimes caiied-loses its poisonous
properties after drying. unless again wet,
and is among the loveliest OF leaves In
gathering leaves wear a thick pair Of gloves
Tor protecting the hands. Grasses should
be gathered when iu full flower, aud dried
0y hanging up in a room where the sun
Will not shlue on them. Everyone knows
now beautliui these are arranged IN Vases,
and our native grasses are, many of them,
as Ell ;ctlve as the custllrr imported var
ieties. A few butterflies, caught and chlor>
oiormed, will add much to the beauty Of
such boquet. In collecting your leaves,
break some clusters and twigs these you
can press ia newspapers under your trunk,
and you will find them useful beyond meas
ure when you begIu the work OF decoration.
Sea-weeds also are we'll worth preserving,
making lovely transparences, and b sautlful
also when grouped III basket or in pic
ture with ferns. To preserve them, float
the bit of sea-weed in "a oasin Of water and
slip sheet of white paper under il while
yet in the water. Take paper and plant
out carefully, and hold the sheet up by one
corner to let the water drain Off then dry
between sheets OF blotng paper. Gray
Inosses and lichens are beautiful for orna-
menting crosses and filing baskets. They
require no preservation beyond mere gatDer-
ing.