PHANTOM FLOWEBS. 59 



sides of the leaf, the water will escape, and the 

 perfect skeleton will float out, ready for rinsing and 

 drying. Four or five weeks will be sufficient to allow 

 for their preparation, although some varieties require 

 a few weeks longer. 



Holly. 



(Out. No. 12.) 



This leaf is quite difficult to clear properly, owing 

 to the tough outer cuticle adhering so tenaciously to 

 the thorns on the edges, as to tax the ingenuity and 

 patience of the operator in removing the one without 

 breaking off the other. For this reason most amateurs 

 give up after the first attempt, and content them- 

 selves with more beautiful and less troublesome sub- 

 jects. About three months is the time necessary for 

 skeletonizing them ; and being evergreens, they may 

 be gathered at any time. 



"Wistaria, Bignonia, Greenbrier, and "Wild Yam, all 

 vines that are tolerably well known, may be skel- 

 etonized by the usual process in from six weeks to 

 three months, and should be gathered aboiit the 

 middle of July. 



Of greenhouse plants, the leaves of Camellia Japon- 

 ica. Cape Jasmine, Laurestina, and Caoutchouc may 



