Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1880-11-27
HOUSEHOLD ADORNMENTS,
How TO Make Skeleton Leaves and
rYStaliY wed GraSsek.

CIS StaliyXe1 GraSSeSs
IneSe pleasing preparations for household
adornment may be made as follows: There is q
SLOW and quick method; the former is by pro-
curing the natural decomposition of the pulpy
substanc e OF the leaf by exposure to light In
a dish OF water, the quick method is by the
use OF weak alkaline destructive solution
or which soda and lime are the active agents.
BY the SLOW method one may proceed as fol
lows: The leaves are laid out smoothly In a
pan or dish, and covered with rain water two or
three inches deep, and are held down by means
o! SneeiS or glass resting on small stones at
the corners by which they are prevented from
pressing TOO closely On the leaves They are
exposed 10 the sunlight In warm window.
IN two or three weeks they are examined, and
all those That have become soft and pulpy are
removed to another dish to be cleaned The
rest are LETT until they, too, become soft. Tn.
sou tneo leaves are carefully removed one by
one by being foated On TO small sheet of glass.
the pup Is pressed out by means OF a small stiff
! painters brush Or tooth brush used by tap
ping up and down AID not by sweeping IaG.
ton: THIS breaks up the pulp only, which Is
washed away by pouring water upon it from q
sin aa1 , pitcher TO make this convenient. the
glass may De placed on TWO wooden bars resting
Oh The cages OF a deep dish with a towel under
it to catch the splashings.
The quick method is as follows: Four ounces
OF sahsoda are dissolved in a quart OF hot
water, Two ounces OF Quicklime are added, and
the whole boiled for 90 minutes The solution
Is cooled and strained. The leaves are then
is easily removed, when 1t is washed off as
already mentioned. The ibres remain, leaving
perIecI skeleton OF Frame work of the leaf
This Is bledched by exposure to solution Of
one tablespoonful OF chloride of lime In quart
OF water, strained clear from sediment. The
skeletons are placed In a dish. covered with this
solution, ard kept In dark closet for two DAYS
watching In the meantime that the flores are
not softened 100 much and thus Injured After
bleaching, the leaves are STEPPED in clear soft
water for day, and then fioaIed Off upon a
card and placed between soft napkins until
cry. They are then ready to be finally pressed,
bent, curled, OF arranged In bouquets or groups
CryStaliZed grasses and SPRAYS are
made as follows: The punches are first
arranged In suitable manner, tied and Sc
cured; a solution OF four ounces of alum to a
quart OF boiling water Is made and when this
has cooled to about 90 degrees or blood heat
the bunch OF grass and leaves Is suspended In
II. In deep JAR from a rod placed across the
mouth Of 1t: as the liquid coolS crystals OF alum
are deposited upon every spray, the ner and
smaller the weaker the solution Is made. This
deposit OF crystals occurs Ia the cooling LIQUID
because hot water dfssOiveS more alum than
cold water, and as the water cools the excess OF
alum forms crystals which attach themselves to
any 1Drous matter In contact with 1t more readily
than to anything else. These crystals enlarge
oy accret1on constantly, as long as there is an
excess OF alum In the solution. When the sup
ply Is exhausted the solution is warmed and
more alum is dissolved In It, 1t Is returned to the
lar and the bunch OF grasses is replaced. When
su1iclently covered with crystals 1t is taken out
and dried and is finished limos