14         ALUM  CRYSTALLIZATIONS  OVER  FRESH  FLOWERS. 
relatively  larger ;  on  the  other  hand,  by  the  aid  of  heat,  a  small- 
er proportion  of  liquid  excipient  is  necessary  than  by  the  ordinary 
process. 
An  obvious  advantage  of  this  process,  which  will  suggest 
itself  to  large  manufacturers  of  pills,  arises  from  the  fact  that 
the  apparatus  employed  is  precisely  that  used  in  sugar-coating, 
and  in  possession  of  all  those  who  practice  that  art. 
Of  course  I  make  no  claim  to  originality  in  regard  to  this  pro- 
cess. It  has  evidently  been  long  in  use  by  some  manufacturers 
of  French  proprietary  pills,  as  may  be  ascertained  fry  cutting 
some  of  these  in  half,  when  the  granules  will  appear  in  the  centre. 
ALUM  CRYSTALLIZATIONS  OYER  FRESH  FLOWERS. 
By  W.  P.  Creecy. 
Editor  American  Journal  of  Pharmacy  ; 
In  one  of  your  recent  numbers  I  saw  that  science  had  found 
its  way  back  to  childhood,  in  the  shape  of  "soap  bubbles;''  and 
I  will,  with  your  favor,  turn  it  in  another  equally  interesting 
light  channel,  and  tell  you  what  you  already  know,  perhaps  : — 
how  to  make  baskets  and  flowers  ornamental,  even  in  the  midst 
of  winter,  by  crystallizing  them  with  alum. 
Make  fancifully-shaped  baskets  of  pliable  copper  wire,  and 
wrap  them  with  gauze.  Into  these  tie  to  the  bottom  violets, 
ferns,  geranium  leaves,  crysanthemums, — in  fact,  any  flowrers 
except  full-blown  roses, — and  sink  them  in  a  solution  of  alum  of 
one  pound  to  the  gallon  of  water,  after  the  solution  has  cooled; 
as  the  colors  will  then  be  preserved  in  their  original  beauty,  and 
the  crystallized  alum  will  hold  faster  than  when  from  a  hot  solu- 
tion. When  you  have  a  light  covering  of  distinct  crystals  that 
cover  completely  the  articles,  remove  carefully,  and  allow  them 
to  drip  for  twelve  hours. 
These  baskets  make  a  truly  beautiful  parlor  ornament  sus- 
pended in  the  centre  of  a  room,  and  for  a  long  time  preserve  the 
freshness  of  the  flowers. 
Vicksburg,  Miss.,  Dec,  1866. 
