The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1881-01-11
Household AnOrnments.
Skeleton leaves ana crystallized grasses
for household adOrnment NAV he made os

Skeleton leaves ana crystallized grasses
for household adornment may be made as
follows: There Is slow and quick
methods; the former is by procuring the
natural decomposition Of the pulpy sub
stance of the leaf Dy exposure TO light in q
dish of water, the quick method is by the
use Of u weak alkaline destructive solution,
Of which soda and lime are tho active
agents, BY the slow method one NAV
proceed as follows: The leaves arc laid out
smoothly in pan or dish, and covered
with ran-water two or three inches deep,
and are held down by means Of sheets of
glass resting on small stones at the corners
by which they arc prevented from pressing
too closely Oh the leaves. TLcy are ex-
posed to the sunlight in warm window.
In two or three weeks they arc examined,
and all those that have become soft and
pulpy are removed to another dish to be
cleaned. The rest are left until they, too.
become soft. The softened leaves arc
carefully removed one by one by being
tloated on to small sheet of glass; the.
pulp is pressed out by means of small
stiff painters brush or a tooth brush, used
by tapping up and down aud not by a
swecpng motion. This breaks up the
pulp only, which is washed away by pour
ing water upon it from small pitcher
TO make this convenient, the glass may be
placed on two wooden bars resting on the
edges Of deep dish with towel under it
to catch the splashings,
The quick method is as follows: Four
ounces of sal-soda are dissolved in a quart
of hot water, two ounces of quicklimc are
added, and the whole boiled for 20 min
utes. The solution is cooled and strained.
The leaves arc then boiled in this for one
hour. or until the pulp is easily removed,
when it is washed of as already mentioned.
The fihres remain. leaving perfect slkclc-
ton of framework of the leaf. THIS is
blrachcd by exposure to solution Of one
tablespoonful of chloride of lime in quar-.
of water, strained clear from sediment.
The skeletons are placed in dish, covered
with this solution, and kept in a dark
closet for two days, watching Ill the mean-
time that the fibrcs arc not softcned too
much and thus injured. After bleaching,
the leaves are stepped III clear soft water
for day, and then tloatcd of upon card
and placed between soft napkins until dry.
They arc then ready to be finally pressed,
bent, cnrled, or arranged in bouquets or
groups. Crystalized grasses and sprays
are made as follows: The punches arc first
arranged in suitable manner, tied and
secured; solution Of four ounces of alum
to 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 it, in deep jar, from a
rod placed across the mouth of it; rs the
liquid cools crystals of alum are deposited
upon every spray, the finer and weaker tho
solution is made. This deposit of crystals
occurs IN the cooling liquid, because lot
water dissolves more alum than cold water,
and as the water co0ls the excess Of alum
forms crystals which attach themselves to
any fibrOus matter IN contact with 1t more
readily than to anything else. These crys-
tails enlarge by accretion constantly, as
long rs there is an excess Of alum in the
solution. When the supply is exhausted
the solution is warmed and more alum is
dissolved in it; it is returned to the jar and
the bunch of grasses is replaced. When
sufficiently covered with crystals it is take en-
out and dried and ia finished