The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1878-07-12
PreserTed Blowers.

took from its safe keeping place the
other day, a small box containing,
among other little mementOes Of my lost
children, a couple Of little sprays of
flowers, now withered and yellow and
dry, but which were fresh when ! took
them-one from out the little baby
hands which clasped it, the other from
near the soft round cheek against which
1t nestled, and / thought how many
such sprays there were kept by sorrOw-
ing mother-hearts, made dear beyond
all price, because they were the last
earthly things touched by the tiny
hands Of little ones gone before.
Although carefully and sacredly kept,
these precious relics Of a joy known and
lost must soon crumble into dust, and
little by little be lost; and I thought Of
plan Of which 1 had heard for keeping
these mementos, and, perhaps, it may
be as new to some Of your readers as it
was to me.
Not only can these flowers from off
the still bosom Of some loved lost one
be kept fresh and bright, but the SYM
bOls of happier occasions as we'll.
The flowers should be fresh, and Of
white or delicate cOlOrs. The green
leaves should be separated from the
/ blossoms. Place in a perfectly clean
vessel a quantity of the best quality of
paraffine, and put this vessel in another
containing hot water. When the paraf-
fine is wholly melted, dip each flower
separately into the wax, taking care
that each part is covered with the mix
ture. A coating is thus formed, which
excludes the air, and still allows the
l flower to retain its freshness. Leaves
should be treated similarly, but the
wax should be eOlored green, as near in
shade to the natural color of the leaf as
possible. Chrome green, lightened with
chrome yellow, is, / think, nearer than
anything else to the desired tint. The
flowers and leaves can then be arranged
in clusters or crosses or wreaths, and
placed secure from dust and flies, either
under glass globe, or in a deep frame
made for the purpose.
Flowers are said to be preserved by
merely smoking them with sulphur,
after the mode of bleaching hats, that
is, to suspend the flowers in the fumes
arising from burning sulphur, which
should be confined by means of an air
tight box.
To photograph leaves, procure a little
bichromate of potash, with which
make strong solution. Soak a piece
Of letter-paper in a little of the LIQUID,
and place in the dark to dry; it should
tnen De yellow IN color. On il place
the leaf or fern to be photographed, and
and under it a piece of soft black cloth,
and several folds of newspaper. Place
all between two panes of glass, and Sc
cure well, and place in bright sun rays.
In few hours perfect impression will
have been received. The paper must
then be held under the water-tap until
the yellow has become perfectly white;
when this is carefully dried, the process
/ is complete.
A pretty and novel receptacle for ferns,
dried grasses or autumn leaves, can be
made out of a cows horn by boring a
hole through the ends, in which put a
couple Of brass rings; suspended by a
brass chain or a ribbon, it makes a very
pretty holder, either for articles named,
or for little vine growing in earth or
water. The horn should be boiled to
Cleanse 1t properly. Home.