The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1884-07-17
TRYING TO BEAT NATURE.
Artificial Flowers Made In tho Twinkle
of an Eye.-IIow tho Girls Are Paid.


of an Eye.-IIov tho Girls Are Paid.
"No, sir, that is only imitation,
said New York Mail and ErpresS re-
porter who had raised Jacqueminot
rose to his nose. "Several persons
have thought it was real" he cohtin-
ued; swell, it is one of the best speci-
mems have seen."
at must be a delicate business man.
ufacturing these fowersp'
"Very, and a business that has i'm
proved considerably during the last
few years. Nearly all the flowers used
here are manufactured in this country
"Can you explain how you trans
form ordinary muslin into such delicate
looking llowers2'
Certainly. Step into the factory. ]
will show you every part of the per
formance. Step this way" and the
reporter was shown into long room
which presented busy appearance.
Seated at Il long table that extended
down the centre of the room, were fiji
teen or twenty girls all busy clipping
and cutting muslin, and fastening it
with wires in various ways, presenting
as it were by sleight of hand, some
lovely rose or delicate lily.
1t used to be the custom to manu-
facture the floral designs from mate
rial called chiffon, but thatiis too expen-
sive an article to compete in the pres
ent market, so ordinary Victoria lawn
is substituted. This is first of all
soaked in water to shrink it and then
stretched on frame to dry. When
dry it is folded SO as to make about
sixteen thicknesses and it is ready to
cut for any flower we want.
snow suppose we make the most
popular decoration of the present day,
the SNOWFALL" said the manufacturer,
and he took scollop. circle-shaped
steel die and cut out of the muslin
sixteen pieces at each blow of the
mallet. The pieces were placed in
alcohol and tinged in the centre to give
them the natural tint of the flower.
After drying them, each of the scallops
is twisted and about twelve pieces
strung together by passing wire
through the centre. A little paste is
added and in less time than it takes to
relate, the SNOWFALL is ready to adorn
some lady's bonnet.
"WEat are the most difficult flowers
to manufacture?
"Well, the rose, ! suppose, or the
mignonette. All those that have fine
petals cause more or less trouble. The
manufacture of leaves is little differ
ent. They are cut in a similar way
out of green muslin and then put in
a press to stamp on the veins. The
color is put on with stencil and dyes,
and each leaf is dipped into wax and
dried. Every leaf and petal is handled
separately, so that will give you an
idea of the work accomplished. Fash
ions are constantly changing and
prices vary from twenty cents to $3.50
a flower"
care not the dyes used very inj'lri-
ous?"
Not at all. Paris green was used
in the old times, but now it is dispensed
with and ordinary aniline dyes substi-
tuted. Wages? Some people have an
idea that girls barely earn living.
We pay three cents gross for stamp
Ing leaves. That appears very little
when you know every leaf is stamped
separately, bit an accomplished hand
will stamp fifteen or twenty gross in
an hour, and working nine hours a
day will give about S4 Not bad pay,
eh?"