THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 



155 



in pots, the pots to be hidden with moss, 

 and thus to ornament the drawing-room, 

 or the dining-table, or for the window of a 

 boudoir, or any choice spot where floral 

 gems are to be seen at their best. The glass 

 mosaic, arranged in colour patterns of rich 

 and pure designs are let into a pure white 

 cement, and the whole hardened and polished 

 to one glistening surface. Some of the de- 

 signs are copied from Mr. Glashier's illustra- 

 tions of snow crystals, and thus illustrate 

 science, as well as exemplify art. Inside 



the pots are lined with zinc, so as to le 

 adaptable to receive soil, if necessary, or 

 filled with water, to act as vases for cut 

 flowers. They attracted many longing 

 eyes at the Chiswick, and Crystal Palace 

 Shows, and were the subject of much 

 eulogistic comment. Made by Mr. G. H. 

 Stevens, 56, Great Queen-street, Lincoln's- 

 inn, London. [Price, 6-in, £2 2s. ; 7-in, 

 £3; 8-in, £3 10s. Set of three, as re- 

 presented in preceding page, £6 10s.] 



SKELETON LEAVES. 



It is no disparagement to the wax, cambric, 

 and paper leaves and flowers, or to the 

 many other interesting, and, to say the 

 least, most innocent, indoor occupations of 

 our fair friends, to state, that that which is 

 natural, is more pleasing, instructive, and 

 beautiful than that which is, at its best, only 

 artificial. There is very much to admire 

 in the elegant and skilful imitations of 

 the floral world which have occasionally 

 come under our notice, and to such we 

 would ever award our meed of praise ; but 

 we doubt whether the best works of these 

 artistes would bear comparison, in point of 

 real beauty, for one moment, with nature's 

 simplest skeleton of a leaf. We have had 

 many inquiries as to the method of pro- 

 ducing these skeletons, which are beginning 

 to attract so much attention ; and, with the 

 remark, that, when perfectly obtained and 

 tastefully grouped, nothing is mora elegant 

 or ornamental, we proceed to give, to all 

 whom it may interest, the modus operandi. 



Soak the leaves in rain-water until they 

 are quite soft, and the skin which envelopes 

 the skeleton is quite loose. By placing 

 them, one at a time, in a plate full of water, 

 you will be able to strip them, -and remove 

 this skin and pulp with a needle or the 

 finger ; this requires care, so as not to break 

 the skeleton ; but, with ordinary core, it is 

 easily accomplished. The water, as it 

 thickens, should be changed, and the final 

 clearing of the pulp from the fibres of the leaf, 

 is best effected by a camel-hair brush. The 

 time they require to soak depends upon the 

 kind of leaf, the temperature in which they 

 are kept, the season of the year, the age of 

 the 1 af, &c. Skilful manipulation, and 

 many other details essential to complete 

 success in this, as in everything else, are 

 gained only by patience and experience. 

 There is, of course, no royal road. There 

 are some chemicals which much assists the 

 work of decomposition, but we do not re- 

 commend their introduction, as it must be a 



very nice operation to hasten the destruction 

 of the pulp without [injuring the fine 

 skeleton, which it is your aim to obtain 

 perfect, and without a flaw. This leads us 

 to another remark, which may not be un- 

 necessary, though obviously, if not ridicu- 

 lously, true, that unless you put in perfect 

 skeletons, you will never take them out. 

 During the soaking, many a perfect skeleton 

 (covered of course, when put into the bath 

 with its skin and pulpy coat) becomes an im- 

 perfect one, the fibres decomposing as well 

 as their envelope of pulp ; but the least im- 

 perfection can never be improved or removed. 

 Let no time and patience be uselessly ex- 

 pended, on any, therefore, but the most 

 perfect leaves. Partly decayed leaves are, 

 therefore, oiit of the question ; young ones 

 equally so ; what you require primarily 

 and fundamentally is the perfect and mature 

 leaf. Brown spots or specks of any kind 

 upon a leaf, render it useless for the pur- 

 pose of skeletonizing. Those which bear 

 the operation best are evergreens ; the reason 

 will, from the previous instructions, be at 

 once apparent ; and it will be equally ap- 

 parent, that the soft leaves of very quick 

 growing plants of annuals, &c, are incapable 

 of the process ; hence, we generally see 

 the holly, ivy, and magnolia ; and to these 

 we maj' add, as very suitable for the purpose, 

 and affording variety and elegance of out- 

 line, and that fibrous network we term the 

 skeleton, and which, by the bye, is as 

 peculiar to each individual kind of leaf as 

 its form, the orange, and lemon, the pear, 

 rose, willow, sycamore (very beautiful), oak, 

 poplar, hawthorn, fig, &c, also, the 

 butchers' broom, the petals of the hydrangea, 

 the fruit of the thorn, apple, and of the 

 winter cherry. 



The skeleton being obtained, the appear- 

 ance is greatly improved by bleaching. 

 Prepare a solution of two tablespoonfuls of 

 liquid chloride of lime to one pint of water. 

 Plunge the thoroughly-cleansed skeletons 



