The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1881-11-19
Mseful arts.
pyeing and coloring Flowers.

Dyeing is especially used for the red
Xeranthemum annum Fl. pl., red Asters,
and all kinds of ornamental grasses. Mix
ten parts of fresh water with one part of
good nitric acid, plunge the flowers in,
shake off the liquid and hang them up to
dry In this way Xeranthemums, which
should be cut when entirely open, will ac-
quire a beautiful bright red tint while
grasses only become little pale red on the
tops, but will keep afterwards for many
years, and may, if needed, be colored other
wise at any time. Asters generally, when
/ treated in this way, are not so fine as if
dried in sand or smoked in birthstone. To
color flowers and grasses blue, violet, red
scarlet and orange, use the different kinds
of aniline for yellow use pierid acid, and
for bright scarlet use borax.
The aniline dye should be dissolved in
alcohol before it is fit for use, in which
condition it should be kept in well-elosed
bottles until it is required 1t may also be
! purchased in dissolved condition of any
respectable chemist. To color by means
of aniline, take a porcelain or any other
well glazed vessel, pour in some boiling
water, and add as much aniline as will
nicely color the water. According to the
I quantity of aniline used, the color of the
/ flowers will become more or less bright
/ After the water has cooled little, plunge
in the flowers or grasses, and keep them in
it till they are nicely eolored; then rinse in
cold water, shake off the liquid and hang
them up in the open air to dry.
To obtain fine blue, take analine bleu
de lian boil the color with the water for
FIVE minutes, and then add few drops of
sulphurie acid before using. For violet,
use one part aniline violet and one part of
aniline bleu de lian; for red, aniline fuch-
sin for scarlet, one part of anihne fuch-
sin and one of aniline violet; for orange,
analine d'orange; for lemon color, picrie
acid, which should be dissolved in boiling
water and then thinned with little warm
water. Dip in the flowers. but not drain
of the liquid
All kinds Of ornamental grasses can be
thus cOlored especially Stipa pennata and
{ Ammonium alatum) white Xeranthemums,
and most other everlasting flowers, I'm
mortelles, however, as well as the other
kinds Of Heliehrysums, must be treated
differently; their natural yellow color must
first be extracted by dipping them in boil
( ing soap water. made with Italian soap,
and afterwards dried in an airy, shady
place The flowers generally become
T closed when TINS treated. and should be
( placed near an oven, and subjected to the
influence of a dry heat, when they win
soon reopen This is very important If
they are intended to be colored; if not,
they win remain fine pure white Immor-
telles. Most lmmortelles, however, are
eolored bright scarlet by means of borax,
which gives a beautiful color; but it does
not keep well, and becomes gradually paler.
For this purpose, dissolve as much borax
in boiling water as viii color it nicely
when eool, dip the flowers, but do not
allow them to remain after they have taken
the color; if kept in too long, they viii
not again open their flowers.
The chief point in every mode Of color
ing Immortelles Is 10 place them FIRST in a
dry, warm atmosphere, where they viii
open their flowers wen; and after eoloring
they should again be exposed to heat, by
which means they viii nearly always re
open them. Very nice looking Immor-
telles are also produced by colOring only
the centre Of each flower scarlet, which Is
done very rapidly with borax, by means OF
small pencil or a thin wooden splinter,
which is dipped into the color and after
wards applied to the centre This IS gener-
ally done by little children in those estab-
hshments in Germany and France which
supply the trade with everlasting flowers.
/ Finally, | shall give very cheap and
very good receipt to color ornamental grass
and moss beautiful green If dark
green is required, take two pints of boiling
water, one ounce of alum, and half an
ounce Of dissolved indigo carmine; plunge
the moss or grass into the mixture, shake
of the liquid, and dry the grass or moss
in on airy, shady place. In the winter,
however, they should be dried by means
of 6reheat If light green is required,
add to the above mixture more or less
picric acid, according as a more or less
I ligh, shade Is required