South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1913-08-14

Delightful Custom of Drying
Flowers for Scents to Be
Revived.

The old-fashioned custom Of dryin g
rose leaves for potpourri. and sweet
lavender to scent the linen, is one that
should have been preserved. There
are still a few women who appreciate
the delicacy of the rose jar and Law
ender pads, and who continue to pre-
pare the flowers each year as did their
ancestors. For the benefit of others
who desire to revive this delightful
custom. here is the recipe for pre-
| pairing potpourri:
Gather the roses each day when the
! dew has dried and pack them in a
| stone crock with alternate layers of
salt Every few days place the rose
! leaves on a tray and toss about so that
the air can reach the petals, and re-
place in the jar. Allow the leaves to
ripen for ten days, and add the fol-
! lowing ingredients: One-half ounce
| each OF heliOtrOpe. violet and rose
powder; one ounce of powdered orris
root; ne-half teaspoOnful each Of
cloves and mace; one-quarter tea
spoonful of cinnamon; 20 drops each
of oil of melissne and eucalyptus: 10
| drops each of oil chris and bergamOt;
four drops of oil of roses and tw
drains of alcohol.
Anther recipe says to one gallon Of
rose leaves, one gallon of pink clover
blossoms, one quart of lavender bios
SONS, sprinkled with salt and dried in
the sun, add two ounces each Of
ground nutmeg, cinnamon, allspice
and cloves. and six ounces of sandal
wood Mix the flowers and the spices
| thoroughly and drop in one quart of
alcohol, one ounce each of oil of ge-
ranium, and oil of lemon and one-half
ounce of il f rses.
Gather Lavender i'm August.
August is the prper time to gather
| lavender, for the scent which pervadeS
the shrub is strongest during and i'm
mediately after the towering season.
This plant preserves it's fragrance for
two years when packed in the linen
closet or chest. Gather the lavender
on a clear day, early in the morning
before the dew has disappeared from
the plant, and spread out on paper.
Place In a sunny dry ROOM and when
thoroughly dried they are ready to
fill bags or sachets for the linen chest
or closet. Spirits of lavender can be
prepared by sleeping lavender leaves
In alcohol. An easy way TO preserve
freshly gathered punches of lavender
is to cover them with bags Of flo wered
organdie, leaving the stems free.
These can be hung in the clothes
presses or linen closet. To make the
dIlTdCllNc OlNclOpC tohO ~
inch squares of organdie, mousseline
de sole, silk or gauze, fold over and
sew up the sides, leavin gan open
space at the top large enough to put
/ in the potpourri or lavender.
White Linen SachetS.
Dainty sachets OF sweet lavender
are fashioned of white linen and en-
broidered with lavender merceriZed
cotton. From strips Of closely woven
linen insertion showing a design exc
cuted In colors can be made fascinat-
ing little sachet bags by filling them
with potpourri, lavender or violet
sachet. A narrow cord or ribbon is
used to tie these at the top, and the
ends are fringed. A set OF sachet bags
makes a dainty gift for any occasion
and one that will constantly be ap-
preciated.
The preparing of potpourri and law
ender for sachets would be pleasant
method Of earning pin money and
could be developed into a lucrative
business by the energetic woman. The
demand for these Old-fashiOned scents
is constantly growing, so ask your
friends TO save rose leaves for you, II
your own garden does not provide
enugh, and begin TO prepare the pot
pourri and sweet lavender.