36 PHANTOM FLOWERS. 



will be safest to take out the branch, and, laying it in 

 a basin of water, cut off the white portion, and return 

 the unfinished remainder to the jar. Afterwards, when 

 both are ready for the bouquet, the two portions can 

 be neatly united with gum arable. The process of 

 changing the water wiQ have to be repeated four or 

 five times during the operation of bleaching the same 

 lot of Ferns, and the time required to whiten them 

 completely will extend over a period of from one to 

 two weeks. The time depends on the varieties of 

 Ferns which may be used, as there is a wide difference 

 in their susceptibilities, some being wholly unfitted for 

 this purpose. 



When the sprays are found to be entirely white, 

 they must be taken from the jar with the fingers, al- 

 ways holding them by the stem, and laid in a broad 

 basin of clean, warm water, where they should be 

 allowed to remain for several hours. They may be 

 thoroughly rinsed by changing the water several times, 

 but they will not bear handling in the same manner as 

 win the skeleton leaves. When ready to be dried, 

 take one spray by the stem and lay it in a broad dish 

 or basin of water, allowing it to float on the surface ; 

 then pass under it a sheet of unsized white paper, and 

 in this way lift it out of the water. The spray will 



