Collecting and Preserving . 



161 



Preserving: and Printing: of Flowers and Plants, continued. 



6. In Sand. (Quin.) Dry the plants in clean silver sand, free 

 from organic matter (made so by repeated washing, until the 

 sand ceases to discolor the water) . Heat the sand rather high 

 and mix with it by constant stirring a small piece of wax 

 candle, which prevents the sand from adhering to the flowers. 

 Have a box not higher than 3 inches but as broad as possible ; 

 this box should have instead of a bottom a narrow-meshed iron- 

 wire net at a distance of % inches from where the bottom should 

 be. Place the box on a board and fill with sand till the net is 

 just covered with a thin f layer of sand; upon this layer of sand 

 place a layer of flowers, on that a layer of sand, then flowers, 

 and so on ; the layers of sand should vary in thickness according 

 to the kind of flowers, from % inch to ^ inch. 



When the box contains about three layers of flowers, it must 

 be removed to a very sunny dry place, the best being close under 

 the glass in an empty greenhouse, exposed to the full influence 

 of the sun. After a week, if the weather is sunny and dry, the 

 flowers will be perfectly dried; then the box is lifted a little, 

 the sand falls gently through the iron net, and the flowers re- 

 main in their position over the net without any disturbance 

 whatever. 



They should then be taken out carefully and kept in a dry and, 

 if possible, dark place, where no sun can reach them, and after- 

 wards they will keep very well for many years. 



Care should be taken that the flowers are cut in dry weather 

 and that while lying in the sand no part of a flower shall touch 

 another part, as this always spoils the color and causes decay. 

 Sand should be filled in between all the parts of the flower; 

 therefore it is necessary to insert the double flowers in an erect 

 position, in order to fill the sand between the petals, while most 

 of the single flowers must be put in with the stalks upwards. 



To Keep Fresh Flowers. — If cut-flowers are not needed 

 immediately, wet them and then wrap them in paper and place 

 in a box in a cool place. Keep as cool as possible without freez- 

 ing. 



The disagreeable odor which comes from flowers in vases is 

 due to the decay of the leaves and stems in the water. There- 

 fore remove all the lower leaves before putting flowers in vases. 



