256 THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN. GUIDE. 



tion of the Daisies, all the above may be raised from seed, but it must be sown at 

 once to insure plants large enough to bloom satisfactorily next spring. Green and 

 variegated tree Box, Euonymus, Hollies, and Aucubas, and Thuja aurea, and 

 Cupressus Lawsoniana, are all suitable for filling flower beds in winter. Zonal 

 pelargoninms require very little moisture during the winter months. The other 

 question was anticipated by a valued correspondent. The Dahlia tubers were, most 

 probably, injured by the frost. 



Skeleton Leaves. — A Lady Correspondent. — We quite agree with all that 

 has been said with respect to the beauty of bouquets of skeleton leaves when taste- 

 fully mounted ; but we can assure our correspondent that the task of preparing 

 them is not so difficult as she imagines. Select the finest and most perfect 

 specimens, and soak them in a large deep vessel of rain-water; place it in a sunny 

 spot or other warm situation, and shake it occasionally, but not sufficient to stir up 

 the contents, as that might injure the fibres of the leaves. As the water evaporates, 

 fill up with fresh water again, without changing that which remains. Be careful 

 of using any chemical in order to assist decomposition, as you will thereby run 

 great risk of injuring the delicate skeleton, which, of course you 'are anxious to 

 keep quite perfect. But if you are impatient of waiting, a few drops of muriatic 

 acid would hasten the destruction of the soft parts. Tlie most usual plan, however, 

 is to soak the leaves in rain-water only, until the skin which envelops the fibre is 

 quite soft and loose, so that it can be easily removed. The best plan for accomplish- 

 ing this is to lay each one separately in a plate full of water, and carefully remove 

 the soft parts with a needle, or gentle rubbing with the finger and thumb. . Of 

 course, great care must be taken not to break the skeleton ; but with' a. little 

 practice you will be able to do it easily. As soon as the water thickens, so that you 

 cannot well see what you are about, change it, or you will spoil your work. In 

 some cases a piece of soft flannel may be used with advantage ; but the final 

 clearing of pulp from the fibres must be performed with a camel-hair brush. The 

 time required for steeping them depends upon a variety of circurr.star.ces, such as 

 the kind of leaf, its age, the time of year, the temperature of the weather, etc. 

 The leaves of the ivy and holly require soaking for three or four months, while 

 those of the pear, apple, and poplar will be ready in as many weeks ; so that it 

 will be necessary for you to use your own judgment, and discover the time eacli 

 kind of leaf requires for yourself, by examining them occasionally. Of course it 

 will require some patience and perseverance before "first-rate" skeletons can be 

 obtained; but the task is not so difficult but that any one gifted with ordinary 

 patience and medium talent may be able to produce very creditable specimens. 

 The vessel containing the water may be pretty well filled with specimens, as they 

 will not injure each other unless shaken too rudely, but perhaps rather assist in the 

 process of decomposition. It is not advisable to use any but full-grown leaves, as 

 the delicate fibres of young ones are likely to decompose with the pulp. The best 

 time for selecting them is therefore about July or August, when they are quite 

 mature, but still vigorous. Great care must be taken to choose only the most 

 perfect, for it is obvious that if any portion of the fibres are injured before you 

 macerate them, it will be impossible to obtain a perfect specimen. Hold your leaf, 

 then, up to the light, and if you can see a crack, or any small spots of decay, thiow 

 it away, or your time and trouble will be wasted ; for when once the skeleton is 

 broken, or otherwise injured, all attempts to repair it prove unavailing. Those leaves 

 which have the toughest fibres are, of course, the best adapted for the purpose, and 

 consequently the soft leaves of rapid-growing plants are useless. Those best 

 adapted for the purpose, and which can be obtained by everybody, are leaves of ivy, 

 holly, magnolia, rose, pear, sycamore, willow, oak, hawthorn, poplar, orange, and 

 lemon, the petals of hydrangea, and fruit of the apple, thorn, and winter cherry. 

 Each kind of leaf has a peculiarity of structure and a beauty entirely its own ; so 

 that the differences in the fibrous network, and the variety and elegance of outline 

 observable in the different subjects, give to the pursuit a great charm. The appear- 

 ance of the skeleton is greatly improved by bleaching, which is accomplished by 

 plunging in «pring-water in which has been dissolved some chloride of lime. Two 

 table-spoonfuls of liquid chloiide to a pint of water will f-nffice. In some cases the 

 skeletons will become white in a few minutes but leaves of stronger fibre will take 

 a much longer time. When well bleached, dry them carefully on blotting-paper, 

 and then arrange them tastefully in a vase, and cover the whole with a glass shade, 

 when you will possess a very elegant ornament for your drawing-room or boudoir. 



