382 Editor'' s Letter-Box. 



F. A. S., Montgomery, Ala. — i. We find in an exchange the following direc- 

 tions for crystallizing grasses, and we suppose baskets and mosses may be done 

 in the same way : — 



" Almost any kind of grass looks well crystallized, but the long feathery grasses 

 give most satisfaction, as they are ornamental when only partially covered with 

 alum, while the others should be covered completely. When you have gathered 

 all you wish, and dried them thoroughly, you can either crystallize them before 

 forming them into a bouquet, or make the bouquet first, and crystallize it after- 

 wards. If you wish to put the grasses into a vase with everlasting flowers, you 

 must first put them into the alum solution, which is thus prej^ared : — 



" Pulverize a pound of the best white alum, and dissolve it over a slow fire in 

 a quart of pure soft water. Do not let it boil, and be very careful to keep every- 

 thing out of the solution that can possibly stain it, for the beauty of the grasses 

 depends on the pure whiteness of the crystals. A new earthen bowl is the best 

 dish for the purpose. When the alum is all dissolved, let the solution cool down 

 to blood heat ; meanwhile arrange your grasses in a bowl, and pour your solu- 

 tion over them, cover up, and set away twenty-four hours ; then take them out 

 carefully, dry them in the sun four or five hours, and put them in the vase pre- 

 pared for them. Do not move them for several days. If you form the grasses 

 into a bouquet before crystallizing them, procure a glazed earthen jar, suspend 

 the bouquet by a string from a stick laid across the top of the jar, — take care 

 that the tops of the grasses are not bent or doubled over, — and then pour on 

 the solution, proceeding as above directed. What remains of the alum water 

 may be reheated, tinged blue or purple or scarlet by a few drops of dye, and 

 used again as before. 



" Crystallized grasses, when mixed with everlasting flowers, make beautiful win- 

 ter bouquets. Snowdrops, or wax berries, the seed-vessels of wild roses, and 

 asparagus branches, covered with their scarlet fruitage, may be used with fine 

 effect. Many bright-colored berries may be gathered from swamps and marshy 

 places, to contrast brilliantly with the metallic snowy lustre of the alum crystals. 

 Of these none are more showy than clusters of bitter-sweet. Many ladies plant 

 flowers in spring for the especial purpose of making winter bouquets. The 

 varieties of Helichrysuni are beautiful for wreaths, especially the dwarf specieS) 

 Aminobmm elahun, or White Everlasting, is very much in use for memorial 

 garlands and crosses to adorn the graves of friends. The varieties of ornamen- 

 tal grasses are also very much in use for this purpose. The florists' catalogues 

 contain a full description of them all, and any of our lady readers who another 

 year wish to cultivate this particular branch of business will do well to consult 

 these catalogues." 



2. Skeleton leaves and phantom bouquets are made by macerating the leaves 

 in water until the parenchyma is removed, and the fibres remain. We have not 

 room to describe the process full}', but you can learn it from an excellent work 

 on the subject, published by J. E. Tilton & Co. The price is two dollars. 



3. We are not acquainted with the method of preserving flowers by covering 

 them with a thin film. Can any of our readers give our correspondent the infor- 

 mation ? 



