This section is from the book "Practical Cooking And Serving", by Janet McKenzie Hill. Also available from Amazon: Practical Cooking and Serving: A Complete Manual of How to Select, Prepare, and Serve Food [1919].
Set an ounce of gum arabic and half a cup of cold water over the fire in a double-boiler and stir while melting. When cold use in brushing over the leaves, petals or blossoms. If flowers are used, the stems must be covered with the solution, as, also both sides of leaves and petals. Let dry on table oilcloth. More gum arabic may be added if the mixture be too thin to dry well. Make a syrup of half a cup of water and one cup of sugar. Let boil to 234° Fahr. When cold dip into it the prepared articles and dredge with granulated sugar on both sides.
 
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