IMPROVEMENTS IN PREPARING AND PRESERVING NATURAL FLOWERS, PLANTS, AND LEAVES FOR ORNAMENTAL AND DECORATIVE PURPOSES
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edward Charles Hugo Krueger, of Glasgow, in the
County of Lanark, North Britain, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
PREPARING AND PRESERVING NATURAL FLOWERS, PLANTS, AND LEAVES FOR
ORNAMENTAL AND DECORATIVE PURPOSES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edward Charles Hugo
Krueger at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 2nd November
1880.
EDWARD CHARLES HUGO KRUEGER, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark,
North-Britain. "IMPROVEMENTS IN PREPARING AND PRESERVING NATURAL
FLOWERS, PLANTS, AND LEAVES FOR ORNAMENTAL AND DECORATIVE PURPOSES.”
This Invention relates to certain improvements in treating or preparing natural
flowers and plants or leaves to render them durable and suitable for ornamental and
decorative purposes, or as inexpensive and elegant substitutes for the artificial
flowers and leaves at present in use.
In carrying out the Invention the process or mode of treatment or preparation
which I adopt is as follows:-I take the natural flowers, leaves, or twigs of plants
in their fresh state and use them either singly or make them up into bouquets by
tying or fastening the twigs with fine wire. I then colour the leaves of the flowers
or plants by applying pigments in the form of fine dry powder or dust to their
surface either by rubbing with the fingers or by brushes, or by blowing or sprinkling
the colour dust like a spray on to the leaves, and different colours are so applied to
the different leaves or parts of leaves either to retain the natural colour of those
parts, or they may be shaded in different colours so as to make the more common
varieties resemble flowers or leaves of rarer plants. In most cases when the
colouring pigments are so applied the leaves retain the colour dust imparted to
their surface, but when the leaves are exceptionally smooth it will be found
necessary to moisten the leaves with spirits or light volatile or aromatic oil before
applying the pigments to cause the colouring matter to adhere to the surface of the
leaves.

page_text: The flowers, plants, leaves, or bouquets, treated and coloured as described, are
afterwards dried in a bath of hot dry fine sand, by preference silver sand, which
absorbs the moisture from the leaves and thereby enables them to be preserved,
while the passage of the sap or moisture through the leaves fixes the colour on
their surface. When thoroughly dried the flowers or plants are removed and the
sand shaken or dusted off to render them ready for use. Flowers, plants, and
leaves so treated and prepared retain the appearance and brightness of ordinary
fresh flowers and plants.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Edward Charles Hugo Krueger in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 29th April 1881.
"
EDWARD CHARLES HUGO KRUEGER, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark,
North Britain. IMPROVEMENTS IN PREPARING AND PRESERVING NATURAL
FLOWERS, PLANTS, AND LEAVES FOR ORNAMENTAL AND DECORATIVE PURPOSES."
My said Invention relates to certain improvements in treating or preparing
natural flowers and plants or leaves to render them durable and suitable for
decorative and ornamental purposes, or as inexpensive and elegant substitutes for
the artificial flowers and leaves at present in use.
In carrying out my said Invention the process or mode of treatment or
preparation which I adopt is as follows:-I. take the natural flowers, leaves, or
twigs of plants in their fresh state and use them either singly or make them up
into bouquets by tying or fastening the twigs with fine wire or otherwise. I then
colour the leaves or petals of the flowers or plants by applying pigments in the
form of fine dry powder or dust to their surface by steeping them into the colour
and stiring them about in it, and afterwards shaking them well out, or by rubbing
with the fingers or by brushes, or by blowing or sprinkling the colour dust like a
spray on to the leaves; and different colours are so applied to the different leaves
or parts of leaves either to retain the natural colour of these parts, or they may be
shaded in different colours so as to make the more common varieties resemble
flowers or leaves of rarer plants.
In most cases when the colouring pigments are so applied to the surface of the
leaves the colour adheres easily, but when the leaves are exceptionally smooth it
will be found necessary to moisten the leaves with spirits, or light volatile or
aromatic oil before applying the pigments to cause the colouring matter to adhere
to the surface of the leaves. The flowers, plants, leaves, or bouquets, treated and
coloured as described, are afterwards dried in a bath of hot dry fine sand, by
preference silver sand, which absorbs the moisture from the leaves and thereby
enables them to be preserved, while the passage of the sap or moisture through the
leaves fixes the colour on their surface. When thoroughly dried the flowers or

page_text: plants are removed and the sand shaken or dusted off to render them ready for use.
To preserve the natural appearance of some plants, such as ferus, gloss may be
given the leaves by brushing or sprinkling with oil, and in some cases varnish may
be applied in a like manner to the flowers to render them impervious to moisture.
Flowers, plants, and leaves so treated and prepared have or present the appearance
and brightness of ordinary fresh flowers and plants.
Having thus described my said Invention, and the manner of performing the
same, I desire it to be understood that what I claim as the Invention secured to
me by the herein before in part recited Letters Patent is,-
The mode and means, herein described, of preparing and preserving natural
flowers, plants, and leaves, by imparting colours to them while in their fresh state,
and fixing these colours by drying, substantially as and for the purposes herein set
forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edward Charles Hugo Krueger, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-eighth day of April, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and eighty one.
Witness,
WALLACE FAIRWEATHER, C.E..
Of W. R. M. Thomson & Co.,
Patent Agents,
Glasgow.
HUGO KRUEGER.
(L.S.)