Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1879-10-08
Autumn Leaves and Their Preservation
BY HIRAM A. CUTTING.

There is perhaps no scene in nature
more beautiful than the autumn woods in
New England. So sweetly blended are
the colors that no one is wearied with
the gorgeous display. Then there is a
mellow tint all around that puts us in
mild hamor and inspires us with delight.
This feeling is present with all, and the
great desire, especially with ladies, is how
to preserve those beautiful leaves. 1t is
their nature to fade, and those who collect
them, and folding in papers or books for
future decoration at Christmas or New
Years, are much disappointed to find them
crisp and faded when wanted, and some-
times they can hardly believe they are the
beautiful leaves they gathered in autumn.
The interest in their preservation is such
that, having numerous inquiries addressed
to me, am led to answer through your
paper as best l can.
First, it is important to gather them be-
fore they are frozen or frostbitten, causing
the edges to wither and color to fade.
Many persons doubtless believe that it is
TO the frost that we are indebted for the
beautiful tinges of red, yellow, purple,
silver and gold that we find so various in
our examinations of autumn foliage. But
such is not true. The slightest frost, even,
greatly damages the tint of all leaves
touched by it. In fact, it is quite usual in
our valleys, as it is this year, to see Sep.
tember frosts turn the rich red and purple
of natural ripening 10 the sickly yellow of
n frostbitten leaf, while the hill tops as
now untouched by frost revel in beauty.
1t is on the hill tops then that we should
gather our stores. The finest tints follow
from wet summer and cool autumn.
When ripe and in the height of beauty
they should be gathered as soon as it is
fairly cleared from n storm, as sunlight
Injuries the colors very much. AS soon as
gathered they should be laid between the
leaves of book, never overlapping each
other. and pressure of about twenty five
pounds applied. This can easily be done
by placing the book between a piece of
board and the floor, and laying Il stone of
that heft on the board. They should,
however, not remain in this condition over
ten or twelve hours. They should then be
taken out and put into another book, as
the book they are first in, if in considera-
BILE quantity, will be damp all through.
This book can then be dried for the next
change, if desired, which should be in
twelve hours. After the second change
they can remain Il day or two, but half
dozen changes are necessary to perfect
the drying. After they arc dried they
soon fade if exposed to the light, and
slowly if not, but rs the making into orna-
ments neceSsitates exposure, it is very
desirable to preserve them as fresh as
possible. This can be done in various
ways. Anything that closes the pores of
the leaf will much retard the fading,
though nothing will fully prevent it. Per-
haps bees-wax applied with a common sad
iron is most often used. The iron should
be hot enough TO fully melt the wax and
not hot enough to scorch the leaf Pass
the iron first over piece of wax and then
rub it over the leaf. When carefully done
it will increase their beauty even without
specially changing their appearance.
Parafline is sometimes used, being first
dissolved in naphtha; the leaf is quickly
dipped in the solution, and in half min
ute drys covered with white powder.
Iron as before and the action is as bees
wax. 1t may even be rubbed on as wax
Isl one-fourth pound of parafline to one
quart of naphtha is about the right pro-
portion. A varnish made by dissolving ros-
in in alcohol and applied with brush is
used by many The best way is to pour
say one half pint of alcohol on TO hand
lul of pulverized rosin and after it has cut
what it will pour off the clear varnish and
use with fine brush. Two ounces of best
brown shellac, one-half pint of alcohol
and one-fourth as much camphor gum is
also good varnislI for the purpose, anC
this recipe has been sold to many for three
dollars. Furniture or carriage varnist
should never be used, as it not only of it.
self Injuries the tint, but they are soon GOV
cred with dust which cannot be cleaned off
us the varnish is slightly sticky, as it has
nothing to dry down to us it has when on
wood or metal.
Some may wish 10 know which method
of preservation is best? l can only say
that have seen them nicely prepared by
each of the above methods, and also have
seen them in good condition after being
simply .sized with bonnet-glue Or sgum
arabic. Then l have known each of th'
above methods to fail. According to TIN
tact and cleverness of the party preparing
them depends the result. | can only wisl
all success, us it is certainly very pleas
ant pastime to Gull the ripening leaf ant
decorate our homes with the tints of
New England forest which are equale
nowhere else on earth, if we may believ
our best observers.
Letter From California.