THE FLORAL WORLD AJS'D GARDEN GUIDE. 219 



whose petals, or flower-leaves, are five in number, having in the 

 centre five stamens, and being supported by a green calyx, or flower- 

 cup. Take the blossom carefully to pieces, without injuring any of 

 its parts ; make the petals and calyx perfectly smooth by flattening 

 tbem between the leaves of a book, or by placing them under a warm 

 flat iron, and then cut out patterns of the calyx and one of the petals 

 of the tin. The patterns must correspond with the originals, for 

 the least inaccuracy here would spoil the work. The tin patterns 

 must next be laid upon the wax, in the direction of the length of the 

 sheets, and the five petals and the calyx cut from them. 



Take one of the pieces of wire, being careful that it shall resemble 

 in size the stalk of the primrose ; dip it in green melted wax, and 

 when cool, fix on the top, by the pressure of the thumb and finger, 

 fine thread-like strips of dark yellow wax, to represent the stamens. 

 These being firmly fixed, fasten on one of the petals in the same 

 manner — by pressure — then a third, fourth, and fifth, putting them 

 regularly round, and bending them outwards. This done, put the 

 calyx in the palm of the hand for a short time, that it may become 

 pliant ; then form it to its natural shape round one of the little rods, 

 and thus prepare it to be slipped on at the lower end of the stalk of 

 the flower. When it is properly placed, press it tightly against the 

 stem, and the whole will firmly adhere together ; a few touches of 

 dark yellow will be required near the centre of the petals ; they may 

 be given in oil-coloura, or in water-colours mixed with ox-gall. 



The root-leaves are generally made of cambric, and may be pur- 

 chased with the wax, or at the artificial flower-makers ; being after- 

 wards dipped in a little warm wax to improve tbeir appearance. 

 Several other flowers are made with nearly the same facility, such as 

 the snowdrop, the violet, the heartsease, the hyacinth, the pink, etc. 

 When the petals are hollow, as in the tulip, crocus, or ranunculus, 

 the wax is warmed in the hand till it is quite pliable, and the central 

 part is gently rolled with the sealing-wax end of the pin. This 

 expands the wax, and forms it, in the hollow of the hand, to the 

 required shape. Sometimes the petals are wrinkled and rough, as in 

 the gum-cistus, the red poppy, etc., and in order to imitate this 

 appearance, the wax is well rolled, so as to make it thin and warm, 

 and then crumpled up by the band. If this is cleverly done, the 

 wax petal, on being opened, will very nearly and beautifully 

 resemble the peculiar appearance of the part it is intended to repre- 

 sent. Flowers, whose tints are delicately blended with each other, 

 can only be imitated by forming the petals of white wax, and then 

 tinting them with powder-colours, put on with a short-haired brush. 

 In this way, all striped or variegated (lowers may bo represented. 

 The best way of making a convolvulus, is to pour some plaster of 

 Paris carefully into a natural flower, and thus get an exact mould on 

 which to form the waxen copy. A piece of wax is theu cut out, the 

 Bize and shape of the flower (which has been cut open and flattened), 

 and formed carefully round tho mould, uniting the edges very care- 

 fully at a part of the blossom where the join will be hidden by one 

 of the coloured rays, which adorn the inside of that lovely flower. 

 It is necessary to be very careful in putting the number of stamens 



July. 



