Chapter I: HAPPEN to live in the country, in the midst of lovely scenery, (3)

I would plead with those who have the varied pleasures of gardens, woods, and fields, that they would kindly think of the utter dreariness in which thousands of our fellow-creatures live from year to year, never seeing a green leaf or bright flower, never enjoying the scent of opening buds or fragrant hayfields. Shall we not try to send some rays of sunlight into these cheerless homes, some of our bright flowers to tell of kind hearts taking thought for others less favoured than themselves? Even our dead rose-leaves will be gladly welcomed, and will last even longer than the flowers. It brings gladness to our own hearts to feel that we have been trying to cheer and uplift the weary-hearted, sorrowing, and sinful, and with our gifts let us mingle our earnest prayers that the portions chosen from God’s own Word and printed on the cards may by Him be so blessed that, like seed falling into good ground, it may sink deep into human hearts and bring forth fruit an hundredfold to His praise and glory.

A WATER BOUQUET.

Young people living in the country may welcome the following hints, which will guide them to several interesting occupations for leisure hours.

A WATER BOUQUET.

WHEN flowers have been placed under water for a few hours they show a remarkable kind of beauty which can be seen in no other way. Plants, we know, are always exhaling oxygen gas from their leaves and flowers, but in our rooms and out of doors it is an invisible process. We know that this is the case from the testimony of scientists who have proved it by experiments.

We can, however, render the process visible by placing flowers under water, for we can then see the oxygen gas in the form of tiny pearls edging each leaf and petal, and streaming up in columns to the surface of the water.

I will try to describe how this effect can best be seen. Two or three well-contrasted flowers, such as a small white lily, some scarlet geranium, a few heaths, with maidenhair fern, and a little piece of arbor-vitæ, or box, to form a dark background, may be tied together, and firmly affixed by string or wire to a piece of stone.

The other articles required are a soup plate, a glass shade, and a tub full of freshly drawn spring water. The shade should be about fourteen inches high, and wide enough to take in the bouquet we have made. The tub must be sufficiently large to allow the shade to be held upright under the water.

When all is ready, place the flowers and stone in the glass shade, held horizontally, and gradually sink it under water till the shade is quite full, place the soup plate at the open end, where the stone is, and slowly raise the glass until it is upright, and then it can be lifted out and placed on a table in a window where the sun or bright light will reach it. The bubbles of oxygen will begin to form in a few hours, and the jewelled effect of the bouquet will be very curious and lovely.

It will only last two days; after that time the water becomes cloudy, and decay begins. The flowers and greenery should be perfectly dry, and the water fresh and clear, and then, with a little dexterity, the experiment cannot fail. The remarkable beauty of a water bouquet, with its empearled leaves and flowers, surprises all who see it for the first time.

The fleeting flower of the night-blowing Cereus, which opens in the evening and usually closes in ten or twelve hours, can be preserved for double that time by placing it in water under a glass shade as I have described. Any flowers may be used for the purpose, but the best effect is obtained when only a few blossoms are grouped together, and plenty of space is left around them.

ARTISTIC PITHWORK.

ARTISTIC PITHWORK.

THERE was an extremely artistic and beautiful model of the west front of Exeter Cathedral placed in one of the courts of the Great Exhibition of 1851 which attracted much notice and was universally admired. It had the effect of a fine ivory carving, every detail of the architecture being executed with such minute fidelity that it was difficult to believe that, instead of ivory, it had been formed entirely in pith, but of what description I could never find out.

Models of Indian temples are made by the natives from the pith of a plant called Taccada, and our own elder-tree yields a material with which architectural details may be exactly imitated. Since, however, these two kinds of pith are not easy of attainment, I would direct attention to a source of supply which is easily accessible to those who live in the country. I refer to the common round-stemmed rush (_Juncus conglomeratus_) which grows in most places on waste lands and commons.

This plant, when the outer green skin is peeled off, furnishes a delicate white pith with which really beautiful models of Irish crosses, Gothic fonts, and other small designs may be formed. It will only peel easily when freshly gathered, so it is best to prepare a supply of the material when the rush is in perfection, about July and August, and, as the pith keeps in good condition for any length of time, it can be laid aside when quite dry, and reserved till required.

The green rind comes off most readily by beginning at the thick end of the rush and stripping it off piece by piece over the thumb-nail until all is removed. This is pleasant work to do when sitting out upon some heathy common enjoying the fresh air, and a party of young people, who generally like the occupation, will soon prepare a basketful ready for artistic work on long winter evenings.

For the help of those who would like to essay some very simple modelling I will endeavour to describe how an Irish cross, for instance, can be made which will be, when finished, a really beautiful drawing-room ornament.

The materials required are very simple and easy of attainment, viz., a quarter of a hundredweight of white modelling clay[8] and two or three wooden tools such as sculptors use.

One must have a good drawing of an Irish cross to copy from, and, if not easily attainable, a visit to the Crystal Palace will enable those within reach of London to make sketches of the crosses which are to be seen there near the entrance to the aquarium. It is well to place the lump of clay upon a dinner-plate for the convenience of moving the work when required.

The clay will shrink a good deal when dry, therefore it is well to make the model about a third larger than it is intended to be when finished.

We will suppose the cross is to be twelve inches in height. A sufficient amount of clay should be placed on the plate and gradually moulded with the fingers until it grows like the pattern drawing, the base, stem, and upper part, each to be of proportionate size.

It is best to form the whole thing somewhat roughly at first, taking pieces of clay off here and adding there, until we are satisfied that the proportion of each part is correct, and then the shaping can be more carefully done until a plain cross, smooth on all sides and perfectly upright, is the result. The model must be set aside to become quite dry, which will take a week or two, or perhaps less if it is kept in a warm room.

Some strong white flour paste or the Phaste-bynde paste and a small stiff brush will be needed, also a small pointed piece of wood to assist one’s fingers in placing the pith upon the model will be required for the next stage of the work.

Dipping the brush in the paste, place some along the edges of the upper part of the cross, and then, selecting one of the largest pieces of pith, place it firmly on the edge of the upper part of the cross, pressing it gently to make it adhere, which it readily will if the paste is properly adhesive; in this way a line of pith should mark out all the edges of the model. If there are panels in the pattern of the stem or arms, then the pith should be used as a moulding to keep each design distinct, and within the panels the smaller-sized pieces of pith are used to imitate arabesques or figures according to the pattern, the pointed stick being used to twist and place the material.

These are all the directions needed for a cross of simple style, like those to be found in Cornwall. The more elaborate Irish crosses with figures in relief may perhaps be rudely imitated in rush pith, but when delicate work is needed, elder pith cut with a sharp penknife would be required to make an accurate copy.

The work must be allowed to become perfectly dry, and whilst drying it should be protected from dust settling upon it.

Finally, the model should have a glass shade and will then last for years, and have the effect of carved ivory.

The Gresham Press,
UNWIN BROTHERS,
CHILWORTH AND LONDON.

Footnote 1:

My pet mongoose.

Footnote 2:

“Extermination of Birds,” by Edith Carrington. Wm. Reeves.

Footnote 3:

By the Rev. C. A. Johns. S.P.C.K.

Footnote 4:

This kind of roller and the ink can be obtained at any stores.

Footnote 5:

To this day great quantities of these husks are imported into England
for the purpose of feeding cattle.

Footnote 6:

“And forth on floating gauze, no jewelled queen
So rich, the green-eyed dragon-flies would break,
And hover on the flowers—aerial things,
With little rainbows flickering on their wings.”
JEAN INGELOW.

Footnote 7:

It would be a wise precaution to paste a piece of paper over the
keyholes of drawers in which furs are kept during the summer, the moth
could not then find access to their contents if the drawers are
close-fitting.

Footnote 8:

To be obtained from any plaster figure maker’s for about half a crown.

End of Project Gutenberg's Inmates of my House and Garden, by Mrs. Brightwen