Preserving Colors Of Plants & Herbs
( Originally Published Early 1900's )
Color of Plants and Flowers, to Retain, in Drying for Herbariums.—Botanists who are grieved at the rapid loss of color in the plants and-flowers of their herbariums will be pleased to learn, says a Vienna journal, that if plants or flowers be dipped in a warm mixture of 1 part of hydrochloric acid to 600 of alcohol before being placed between the driers they will not only retain their natural colors, but will also dry with greater quickness.—Harper's Weekly. -
Remarks.-This is in the proportion of 1 dr, of the acid to 9 ozs. and 3 drs. of alcohol, and must prove very satisfactory.
2. Another Way.—Another new way for preserving the color of autumn leaves is given as follows: Iron them fresh with a warm (not hot) iron, on which some spermaceti has been lightly rubbed.. This method pre-serves perfectly their lovely tints, and gives a wavy gloss which no other one secures. The process is very rapid and very agreeable, and no lady who has ever tried the tedious and uncertain experiment of pressing will ever again resort to it after trying this new and better way."
Remarks.—The iron must be kept hot enough to keep the spermaceti soft, else it will not spread on the leaves.
Tomatoes, To Ripen in December.—A Massachusetts gardener sells ripe tomatoes in December, by sowing the seeds in July, then potting the plants in a 9-inch jar, and maturing in a green-house with artificial heat as soon as needed. An infusion of tomato leaves has been recently found to not only destroy plant lice, but from its peculiar odor prevent their return for a long time. See these destroyers.
Plant Jars, To Paint and Bronze for House Uses.-- Plant jars for out-door use ought, to look well, be painted with bright colors, as red or blue—the foliage gives the contrast with its green; but for house use paint them over with plain, cheap varnish, then with a bit of pad, or piece of broadcloth upon a thin, small bit of board, apply common bronze powder all over; or, to make them nicer, paint the bodies, some red and some blue, then bronze the rim, which gives them a gold-like appearance, contrasting prettily with the painted body. The bronze on a varnish will not stand the rains and exposure out of doors.