Any vegetable substance may be preserved moist in a solution of creosote, or in glycerine. The method of drying plants between sheets of paper needs no description. But the original form, and in many instances the colour, of a fresh flower may be preserved by carefully immersing it in some fine dry material, and then rapidly drying in a baking oven. Millet seed has been used for this purpose, and may answer well for coarse specimens. For fine ones white river sand in equal grams must be used. To separate large grains it should be passed through a sieve; to remove fine particles it is copiously washed with water. While drying it is to be constantly agitated.

M. Reveil recommends further, that 1000 parts of this sand be intimately mixed with 1 of stearic acid and 1 of spermaceti, before using. Sec next formula.

Flowers, to Preserve in their Natural Shape and Colour. Provide a vessel with a moveable cover. Fit to the top a piece of fine metallic gauze, and replace the cover. Pass through a sieve into an iron pot, sand sufficient to fill this vessel, and heat it with 1/2 per cent. of stearin, carefully stirring. Place the flowers on the gauze, and, removing the bottom of the vessel, pour in the sand and stearin, so as to cover and envelope them. Place on the top of an oven for 48 hours. Remove the cover, invert the vessel, and the sand runs away through the gauze, leaving the flowers dried in their natural position. Journ. Soc. Arts. Fresh flowers may be preserved for some time in glycerine.