60 PHANTOM FLOWERS. 



be done after months of soaking. A shorter process, 

 however, which some parties prefer for all descriptions 

 of leaves to the slower method which we have adopted, 

 is found to answer well for these particular species. 

 Their tough epidermis requires something more than 

 the ordinary sluggish operation of water and summer 

 heat to soften and remove them. The process con- 

 sists in boiling them for several hours in strong soap- 

 suds, using the ordinary chemical soap of the shops. 



This wUl generally succeed with these last named 

 plants, but for those which are tender and delicate, as 

 before described, it is too severe. Besides this, the 

 chemical properties of the soap affect the leaf in so 

 peculiar a way as to increase the difficulty of bleach- 

 ing ; and notwithstanding all possible care be taken 

 to wash after the boiling process is over, enough of 

 the refractory element remains to defeat all attempts 

 to make the leaf perfectly and permanently white. 

 Therefore, while we mention the process, as an item 

 of information due to the learner who desires to 

 understand the whole routine, and to test for herself 

 the various modifications of practice now in use, yet 

 we prefer and still adhere to our own formula, as at 

 first described. We consider it the best, and by far 

 the most reliable, although it is unquestionably slow 



