185 
AUCTABITCTMo 
186 Reviving Flowers. Under section 136 some directions will 
be found concerning the method of reviving plants, or parts of 
plants, which may have become faded, as recommended by M. de 
Droste, Camphor he found to be the most efficient stimulant, 
and entire submersion of the plants in a w’eak solution of it to be 
the best method of application. In reviving flowers, submer- 
sion may occasionally be resorted to, with those of strong petals, 
but it cannot be generally practised. If the following easy 
method of application of Camphor be employed, it will often- 
times be found particularly useful to those who desire to pro- 
long the beauty of a flower for the purpose of making a correct 
drawing of it. Add a tea-spoonful of camphorated spirit of 
w ine to a tumbler-full of water, then having cut off the ends of 
drooping flowers, insert them therein. After four or five hours 
take them out again, cut off the extreme ends of the stems, and 
put them in fresh water. Another method, which we have found 
to be useful, is to place the ends of flower stems in hot water for 
ten minutes, then cut off as much of their stems as was immer- 
sed in the hot water, and place them in cold water to remain. 
Either of these methods will be found useful, but flowers rarely 
last long after such resuscitation. 
AVhen cut specimens of flowers have been long enclosed in a 
box, as is sometimes the case with those which are transmitted 
to distant parts of the country to be drawn and published, we 
find that exposure to the light quickly destroys their beauty ; 
but by keeping them still secluded from light, and in a somew hat 
moist atmosphere, which may be produced by a little damp 
moss kept in the box which contains them, the freshness of 
many may be much prolonged. Specimens which we have 
received in boxes by post, from the Royal Botanic Garden, 
Edinburgh, through the favour of Dr. Graham, have occu- 
pied two nights and a day in their transmission, yet they have 
generally arrived in perfection ; and by continuing as much as 
193 ADCTAKIOM. 
