Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1881-01-20
ROuaehOld A0ornmenta.

| Skeleton leaves ana crystalliZed grasses
| for household adornment may be made as
follows: There In N slow and quick
method; the former In by procuring the
natural decomposition OF the pulpy sub
stance Of the leaf Dy exposure to light In O
dish of water, the quick method In by the
use OF weak alkaline destructive solution,
OF which soda and lime are the active
agents, BY the slow method one may
proceed an follows: 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 OF sheets OF
glass resting on small stones at the corners
by which they are prevented from pressing
too closely on the leaves They are eX-
posed 10 the sunlight In O 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 left until they, too,
become soft. The softened leaves are
carefully removed one by one by being
foated on TO a small sheet OF glass; the
pulp is pressed out by means of n small
stiff painters brush or tooth brush, used
by tapping up and down and mot by O
sweeping motion. This breaks up the
pulp only, which In washed away by pour
ing water upon il 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 Il
10 catch the splashings,
The quick method 10 as follows: Four
ounces of sal-soda are dissolved i'm O. quart
of hot water, two ounces OF quicklime are
added, and the whole boiled for 90 min
utes. The solution ia cooled and strained.
The leaves are then boiled In this for one
hour. or until the pulp is easily removed,
when 1t La washed off a. already mentioned
The fibres remain, leaving perfect skele-
ton OF frame work of the leaf. This In
bleached by exposure TO solution OF one
tablespoonful of chloride Of line i'm quart
OF water, strained clear from sediment.
The skeletons are placed in a dish, covered
with this solution, and kept in dark
closet for two days, watching In the mean
time that the flbres are not S0ftened too
much and thus injured. After bleaching,
the leaves are stepped I'm clear soft water
for day, and then foated of upon a card
and placed between soft napkins until dry.
They are then ready to he finally pressed,
bent, curled, or arranged In bouquets or
groups Crystallized grasses and sprays
are made as follows: The bunches are 6rst
arranged in O suitable manner, tied and
secured; q solution of four ounces OF alum
to quart of boiling water La made, and
when this has cooled to about 90 degrees,
or blood heat, the bunch of grass and leaves
is suspended LII Ii, in deep Jar, from n
rod placed across the mouth Of il; as the
liquid cools crystals of alum are deposited
upon every spray, the finer and weaker the
solution is made. Thus deposit OF crystals
occurs In the cooling liquid, because hot
water dissolves more alum than cold water,
and as the water coels the excess of alum
forms crystals which attach themselves 10
any fbr0us matter In contact with 1t more
readily than TO anything else. These crys-
tails enlarge by accretion constantly, as
long as there is an excess OF alum i'm the
solution. When the supply 10 exhausted
the solution is warmed and more alum La
dissolved in it; it is returned TO the jar and
the bunch of grasses is replaced. When
sufficiently covered with crystals 1t In taken
out and dried and 10 finished.