P HA y T OM FLO WEB S . 



35 



bleacliing. "When ready for that process, let the opera- 

 tor select such as she desires, and place them carefully 

 in a jar. causing them to curl around the sides rather 

 than with stems dowmvard. in order to avoid breaking 

 the dry and brittle leaves. The smaller separate leaf- 

 lets may occupy the space in the centre of the jar. 

 Then till up the jar Avith -vvarm Avater. leaving room 

 for the bleaching solution, in the proportion of half a 

 teacupful of Tiltoms preparation to a pint of "water. 

 Cover the jar tightly, and set in a very Avarm place. 

 After tAventy-fbur hours, gently pom* otF the liquid, and 

 replace with fresh, mixed as before. They should re- 

 main in the second water about forty-eiglit hours, when 

 this, in like manner, will require to be changed. In 

 about three or lour days the Ferns will begin to whiten 

 at the edges, and this whiteness Avill gTadually extend 

 itself over the entire sm-face of the spray, changing it 

 from a dark, brownish green to the spotless purity of a 

 snowliake. Each one mnst be carefully taken out as 

 soon as it is seen to be entirely Avliite. without waiting 

 for the whole contents of the jar to be finished. 



In the bleaching of a large spray, it sometimes hap- 

 pens that its extremity, perhaps half of the entire 

 length, will become perfectly white, while dark spots 

 remain on the upper or stem end. In such cases it 



