I would recommend the early spring flowers to be arranged in flower pots or in wicker baskets. In mixed groups, as a certain guide to those who do not like to trust to their own taste for blending colours, I would place lavender near pink; blue to red; white should approximate to scarlet, and yellow to purple. The small flowers particularly essential in separating the larger ones are white and yellow jasmine, nemophila cineraria, verbenas, myrtle, honeysuckle, etc., etc. The pendent flowers give great ease and elegance to a bouquet, and should be placed in first. The neck of the vase should be well filled with dried moss, which can be procured at the herbalists. Alabaster and glass vases are best adapted for the reception of wax bouquets, except when they are intended for the centre of a table, and then I prefer baskets of alabaster, wicker, or gilt; glass shades are requisite to cover either. All, or any of the last-named articles, I shall be happy to furnish to those who may kindly think proper to favour me with orders, addressed to my residence, 35, Rathbone Place.
WAX FLOWERS, AS ORNAMENTS FOR THE HAIR,
Have become so generally worn at Her Majesty's balls and drawing-rooms, that I deem it expedient to give some particular instructions respecting them, so as to insure their durability and prevent their adhesion to the hair.
For the first point named, I attach a fine white wire half way up the back of each petal; this materially strengthens the flower. All white flowers should be sprinkled with my prepared arrowroot, this prevents the edges of the petals clinging to the hair, and is a protection against heat. In coloured flowers, the paint has the same effect. The stems are to be covered with narrow ribbon, green or brown (China ribbon). When the flowers are to be perfumed, the perfume is to be placed upon the ribbon.
INSTRUCTIONS FOR MODELLING FOLIAGE.
There are various ways of modelling leaves, but I would recommend them to be made of sheet wax as much as possible. Take three sheets of green wax, matching in colour the leaf you are about to imitate. It is not material whether the middle sheet is the same colour as the upper or under sheet. Cover a wire,—the size must be chosen according to the proportion of the leaf,—place the said wire when covered under one sheet—cut the wax into the form of the leaf required. Plunge the real leaf into cold water, and the wax into hot; while in a softened state press it firmly and quickly upon the wrong side of the real leaf. This will give a truthful imitation. If a real leaf cannot be obtained of any particular flower, they can be modelled from a plaister mould, which I shall be happy to furnish.
Another method is to melt a small quantity of green wax into a liquid state. With a broad flat brush wash over the wrong side of a real leaf, previously oiled with the best salad oil.
The latter method may be also adopted upon a mould, soaked in warm water ten minutes previous to its being used.
The stalk must be attached afterwards, and a second layer of wax placed over.