MAKING MOULDS AND MODELS OF LEAVES 311 



next to the leaf, without the least suspicion of "blows," and 

 without the risk attendant on bbiling. Alum in the same pro- 

 portion makes the plaster hard, and sometimes the moulds, 

 after drying, are plunged into very hot paraffin wax {instead of 

 borax), which gives, as explained before, an ivory surface (and 

 interior), to which the white wax, in some processes hereafter 

 described, does not adhere. 



The moulds, having been protected either by the borax or 

 by the paraffin wax, are used as follows : — A sheet of green 

 wax rather lighter than the natural leaf is selected, and the 

 mould, face downward, is laid upon its dull and grained 

 surface, lengthwise with the grain of the wax — this is import- 

 ant, — and near its edge, so that waste may be prevented ; it is 

 then marked around with a modelling-pin or by any other 

 method ; the mould is removed, and the wax is cut with the 

 scissors where marked around. The scissors, be it remembered, 

 will not cut the wax clearly, or perhaps at all, unless the blades 

 are damped, which may be done by passing them over a damp 

 rag (putting them in the mouth is a professional dodge not to 

 be imitated). The rough wax pattern is laid lightly upon a 

 piece of art fabric of the colour of the under side of the natural 

 leaf, traced around, and cut out. 



The mould is now plunged into hot water, taken out, 

 dabbed dry, and the wax pattern, laid upon it face downwards 

 as before, is well pressed down (kneaded really) with the 

 thumbs and fingers into every depression. When the weather 

 is cold or the wax brittle, this must be done by the fire. The 

 rib of the leaf (see p. 306) is now laid upon the wax in the 

 position it naturally occupies, and over this the art fabric is 

 placed. More and heavier kneadi'ng with the thumbs is now 

 required to weld the fabric and the wax together ; too much 

 pressure, however, must not be brought to bear directly upon 

 the rib, although the fabric should be made to fit closely 



