Part 2 (2/2)
”Lord, what is life? 'Tis like a flower That blossoms, and is gone!
We see it flourish for an hour, With all its beauty on; But death comes, like a wintry day, And cuts the pretty flower away.”
THE FLOWERING SEASONS.
”Say, what impels, amid surrounding snow Congealed, the CROCUS' flowery bud to glow?
Say, what r.e.t.a.r.ds, amid the summer blaze, The autumnal bud, till pale declining days?
”The G.o.d of seasons, whose pervading power Controls the sun, or sheds the fleecy shower; He bids each flower His quickening word obey, Or to each lingering bloom enjoins delay.”
H. KIRKE WHITE.
As it will be impossible in a small volume to give instructions in all Flowers, I shall endeavour to select such as will produce a pleasing contrast of form and colour; at the same time, including flowers of every season, commencing with Spring--and who does not hail the early Flowers with delight? After a long and severe winter, the appearance of the golden crocus and the modest snowdrop, peeping from the earth, convey to the mind a glow of unspeakable pleasure.
”Then wherefore had they birth?
To minister delight to man-- To beautify the earth.”
INSTRUCTION HOW TO FORM THE CROCUS.
(CROCUS LUTEUS.) _Youthfulness._
Prepare the petals (from pattern) in double wax, choosing a bright orange, but not too dark. Place the two s.h.i.+ning sides of the wax together. The inner petals are not striped, but the three outer ones have eight or ten pencil strokes of a middle shade of green, broad towards the lower end, and carried off to fine points; these strokes do not extend beyond two thirds of the flower, and laid on with the sable brush. Cup the petals very much with a large head pin (this is why they require to be cut from double wax) so firmly that each petal produces an egg-shaped form when united. Double a hem in a piece of wax the same as that from which you have previously cut the petals. Prepare the stamina from this piece of wax by snipping the proper number. The hem at the edge of the wax is to represent the anthers; affix the stamina when so prepared to the end of a piece of strong wire, and cover them with farina (my second yellow powder). Place the petals round the stamina--first, the three not painted--and the remaining three in the intervening s.p.a.ces.
The calyx is prepared in lemon wax, tinged with a little brown, and is pa.s.sed round the end of the flower. The stem covered with pale lemon wax. The leaves narrow strips of double wax (dark green), strongly indented with the point of the pin, and a white stripe laid smoothly on with the small sable brush.
The above directions will answer for the crocus susia.n.u.s, the cloth of gold, striped orange, and very dark purple; besides the Scotch crocus, striped, white, and purple.
THE SNOWDROP.
(GALANTHUS NIVALIS.) _Consolation._
”The snowdrop, and then the violet, Arose from the ground with warm rain wet; And their breath was mixed with fresh odour sent From the turf, like the voice and the instrument.”
This charming, pensive little flower should be prepared from double white wax. It consists of six petals, like its companion the crocus. The longest are left perfectly white, the others striped upon the inside with very light green paint; and upon the opposite or exterior side of the petal is placed a triangular green spot, near the off end. Cut a fine green wire, three inches long, cover it with a strip of light green wax, affix to the end the stamina, cut from yellow wax. Place round these the striped petals, and those that are quite white immediately between; finish off the same by placing a little double green wax at the end of the flower, which forms the calyx; the flower-stalk is then to be attached to a stronger stem. Where they are united place a small sheath, cut from lemon wax, tinge round the edge with light green. The leaves are rather narrow, not so dark as the crocus; made from double wax. The head of the pin is merely rolled down the centre: they are attached a short way down the stem.
THE PRIMROSE.
(PRIMULA.) _Forsaken._
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