ON FORMING WAX MODELS OF FLOWERS. 3 



of that which I have most successfully adopted with numerous kinds 

 of the finest flowers. 



It is requisite to have a piece of wire about three inches long 

 pointed at one end, and with a round knob of sealing wax, about a 

 quarter of an inch diameter, at the other, so that it resembles a very 

 large pin ; and three or four small smooth rods of wood of different 

 sizes ; these with a penknife or scissors are the only tools ; have also 

 some very thin tin or brass to cut up into patterns, some wire of 

 different sizes covered with silk for stems, and some sheets of wax of 

 requisite colours ; thus furnished, set to work. Take a natural flower, 

 as, for example, a primrose, which consists of a green cup or calyx, 

 inside which are five petals, or straw-coloured flower leaves, and in 

 the centre five stamens. Pluck the flower to pieces, and after flatten- 

 ing each part either by putting it between the leaves of a book, or 

 under a warm flat iron, cut out of the thin tin patterns exactly similar 

 to the calyx (allowing here a little to fold over when bent afterwards 

 to the proper shape) and one of the petals. Then laying those upon 

 the wax lengthwise of the sheets, cut out the calyx and the five petals. 

 Take a piece of proper-sized wire for the stalk, and cut five narrow 

 thread-like strips of dark yellow wax for the centre, which fix on the 

 top of the wire by the hard pressure of the thumb and finger; these 

 being on regular and firm, fasten on one of the petals in the same 

 manner by pressure ; then a second petal, a third, fourth, and fifth, 

 putting them regularly round and bending each where it joins the 

 stem outwards, so that when completed the flower shall be flat. If 

 the wax should be brittle, hold it in the palm of the hand for a minute ; 

 the warmth of this will render it so pliant as to yield readily to any 

 pressure given to it. The petals being fixed, warm the calyx by the 

 hand, and form it into a proper shape on the end of one of the little 

 round and smooth rods of wood before mentioned ; slip it on by the 

 lower end of the stalk, and when in its proper position, pinch it tightly 

 round the end, which will fix the whole together, and the flower will 

 be complete, except a few touches of a darker yellow, near the centre, 

 on the petals ; this may be done either with oil colours or water- 

 colours mixed with ox-gall. 



All this is easy ; and there are many flowers that require no more 

 care than this, such, for example, as the violet, the snowdrop, the 

 crocus, the polyanthus, the narcissus, the hyacinth, the tulip, the 



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