Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-09-18
vlDPLOWERS AND GORGEOUSLEAVES
How the Latter May BE Preserved
- Itni1cd for Decorative Pur-
..es-UsefuI Herbs OF oid-Fash-
,oucd Times
loncd Tin,e'

s.. .r. nt her atmosphere TO the need
t...r The sold and purple are per-
,.-r, placed. not one whit of the passion
~. Oh. dover is lost, but the kingly
.i.-s are worn with dignity and repose.
OUR WILD FLOWERS.
~rs Wild flowers of early autumn have
...- .nn distinguishing characteristics.
Now tae radiant heads Of countless COM
....e varieties are highest and most
SONY. and a walk or drive along any
,.s-trv road reveals such masses Of
,-..- es TO- arrest and enchant the most
gsous.yant eye.
0- one woodland road above Alton 1
,..rt.I ten shades of asters. bewilder-
t.r beautiful from the deepest violet
r.. and purple 20 the palest lilac. Add
q o. these are great heaps of null
lin the plush-like leaves curling into
frtrsic shapes large punches Of tansy
utr buttons OF fashionable burned
.-rce. yellow, brown, and white ox-eyed
daisies. golden-rOd. spearmint. Solomon's
s,sI the late wide-open corn-fiowers, and
lastly. that faint, sweet flower of tender
memories. which we gather now into hol-
land slips for parting guests--life everlast-
nr These slips will be covered with
pretty embr0ideries and passed over TO
Invalid friends as sofa-pillows.
IN THE COUNTRY.
srent last week in the country. Here
sb5lts We are town-folks. In the coun-
iry Is twenty miles from Humpback. on
The other road. I was likewise in the
midst Of a domestic circle at the dearest
old homestead imaginable. Back of the
xfrffh a
luxuriant hop-vine, and in the garden and
about the yard were tribes Of strong
growing and sweet-scented herbal plants,
The Ike Of which 1 have not known since
NANNY fed me on diet of catnip tea.
This farmhouse is a factory-its rudy
cheeks. girls, bankers, and proprietors
d. YOU know OF what? OF the gifts that
nature. with lavish hands, bestows on
them each year. In late September they
gather the hops, and press and pack
Them for sale. The wild cherries have
been picked and disposed of, so have the
clusters of elderberry, the fruit. flower
and leaves of which can all be used
One would be astonished to know how
many herbs can be gathered and sold,
even u these days Of cheap substitutes.
~ TIMES.
IN o5 fksshioned times. as we know,
herbs gs nc4 considered great treasures;
itsr ard .ss1Ires for many of the ills of
b-uil'g = - 1sshe odor of these drying
ists ia&ght back TO meas it would
.-ys be TO you-the memory of a
i.-l. "a garrett, the favorite play place
li e. Ay days. / am writing Of herbs,
and Fave the captivating subject of gar
re,s FOR the nonce. In our young deal
e. 4 collection L found of potent herbs,
tausy, camomile. NORWOOD, wild basil,
lavender penny royal, hoarhound, sage,
Wild bergamot, fennel. and many other
medicinal plants '"rhey sell for a mere
song" l hear some one say.
Yes, they do and they grow for less
] would also remind any young country
girl who would like TO cultivate herbs
for the drug market that very good calico
can be purchased for 3 cents a yard, and
she can get a pretty fall Bingham for
about 90 cents. In this way prices bal
ance up you see.
ABOUT PRESSING AUTUMN LEAVES.
Some one asked me If 1 would say
about pressing autumn leaves.
! am never selfish, except about-well,
never mind, 1t is not about autumn leaves.
i'm the first place. leaves gathered late
in autumn are the most likely 10 retain
their beauty Those which glow ana
fame al the first touch Of frost do so on
account OF a delicacy Of fibre which
renders them peculiarly apt 10 fade when
brought into a heated room. Leaves
or flowers for pressing should be gath
cred only after three or four days or
continuous fair weather; never after
shower or rain-storm. After all the
new-fangled ways, / think the old me-
thod OF pressure between papers the best
t0r preserving autumn leaves. Hot irons
ana beeswax I'll the kitchen with dread
igI smells, and the cooks and would-pe
decorators heart with wrath and bitter
ness Botanists, who must preserve as
Far as possible the hues as well as the
forms Of plants. make their best speci-
mems between papers.
PAPER SERVES WELL.
A coarse. loose-tissued white paper. sold
A. any stationers for wrapping parcels,
have found sufficiently absorbent FOR
the small quantity of vegetable juice
which autumn leaves contain. Place
board under the papers, a board on top
o. them, and bricks or other weight on
ne upper board. and you have service
abe press easily improvised
i IS a mistake TO think that all kinds
o. foliage keep their rich hues when dried.
There re about four varieties that are
perfect
The brilliant sassafras leaves turh
Drown and 50 do some oak leaves Inc
fe1 oak leaves are best. Leaves CT the
maple the Virginia creeper, and the ASH
vel repay the trouble and the sumach
meets an the wants OF the home-decora-
tor These neither fade nor drop from
We'r stems, and are 10 be found IN great
y. 10 ..frs l. ~ M
purple and from pale straw yellow 10
uat new color so beloved of brunettes,
glowing orange.
The papers should be changed every
TWO or three days. With the creeper they
can BE- changed oftener. The sweet-gum
uee has beautiful foliage. out needs
Uea,er care than the others.
ARRANGEMENT OF LEAVES.
Autumn leaves can be most effectively
arranged II they are pressed as they
tio". maple and sumac in small branch
~ and the Virginia creeper in long
Diancnes. IL Is best, also. In broken /
.pieys 20 arrange IN sradatIons OF color; !
we lshtest and brightest leaves at the I
ehls ~ the branches. Fine wire, such as !
Use In mounting paper flowers, Is a /
etei ala IN fixing long sprays or gar I
.D9s and II the stems Of caves are
'shtly wet before mounting they win I
- break Use a light coat OF white 4
S.ahuc vsrnish 10 bring out the eolors Of
N'.'a leaves wildly.
an empty fireplace is sometimes a sore 4
n'pe1ity 10 lover Of the beautiful. es- /
,'"elly In suburban places; 20 my rus !
NJ, eye an iron summer blower IL only /
"'"s less unslghtly.
A PRETTY CRATE FILLING.
am tempted 90 tell you OF a pretty |
tale tlliug 1 kuau Of In a hollea boat1-