6170. Quick Method of Preparing-Skeleton Leaves

6170.     Quick Method of Preparing-Skeleton Leaves. A solution of caustic soda is to be made by dissolving 3 ounces washing soda in 2 pints boiling water, and adding 11/2 ounces quicklime previously slacked ; boil for 10 minutes, decant the clear solution, and bring it to the boil. During ebullition add the leaves; boil briskly for about an hour, occasionally adding hot water to supply the place of that lost by evaporation. Take out a leaf, put it into a vessel of water, and rub it between the fingers under the water. If the skin and pulpy matter separate easily, the rest of the leaves may be removed from the solution, and treated in the same way; but if not, then the boiling must be continued for some time longer. (See No. 6168 (To Prepare Skeleton Leaves).)

6171. To Bleach Skeleton Leaves

6171.     To Bleach Skeleton Leaves. To bleach the skeleton leaves, mix about 1 drachm chloride of lime with 1 pint water, adding sufficient acetic acid to liberate the chlorine. Steep the leaves in this until they are whitened (about 10 minutes), taking care not to let them stay in too long, as they are apt to become brittle. Put them into clean water, and float them out on pieces of paper. Lastly, remove them from the paper before they are quite dry, and place them in a book or botanical press. They look best when mounted on black velvet or paper. (See No. 6169 (To Bleach Skeleton Leaves).)

6172. To Stain Dried Grass

6172.    To Stain Dried Grass. There are few prettier ornaments, and none more economical and lasting, than bouquets of dried grasses, mingled with the various unchangeable flowers. They have but one fault; and that is, the want of other colors besides yellow and drab or brown. To vary their shade, artificially, these flowers are sometimes dyed green. This, however, is in bad taste, and unnatural. The best effect is produced by blending rose and red tints, together with a very little pale blue, with the grasses and flowers, as they dry naturally. The best means of dyeing dried leaves, flowers, and grasses, is to dip them into the spirituous liquid solution of the various compounds ' of analine. (See Nos. 2552, etc..) Some of these have a beautiful rose shade; others red, blue, orange, and purple. The depth of color can be regulated by diluting, if necessary, the original dyes, with spirit, down to the shade desired. When taken out of the dye they should be exposed to the air to dry off the spirit. They then require arranging, or setting into form, as, when wet, the petals and fine filaments have a tendency to cling together. A pink saucer, as sold by most druggists, will supply enough rose dye for two ordinary bouquets. The pink saucer yields the best rose dye by washing it off with water and lemon juice. The analine dyes yield the best violet, mauve, and purple colors.

6173. Artificial Coral

6173.    Artificial Coral. Melt together yellow resin, 4 parts; vermilion, 1 part. This gives a very pretty effect to glass, twigs, raisin stalks, cinders, stones, etc., dipped into the mixture and dried.