FLOWERS, ARTIFICIAL. This elegant branch of manufacture, though not usually ranked among the fine arts, may be fairly regarded as holding an intermediate place between them and the mechanical arts. The Italians were the first to it to a high state of perfection, and it is now successfully carried out both in England France. The value of artificial flowers annually exported from France exceeds £40,000.
, The materials used are very various. Feathers have long been used by the South American Indians. In Italy, the cocoons of silk-worms are dyed, and extensively used. Beautiful imitations of flowers are made from shells, either in their natural colors or tinted. Paper, ribbons, velvet, thin lamina of Whalebone, etc. are also used. The materials of which the artificial flowers commonly in use are made are French cambric, Scotch cambric, jaconet, and fine calico, besides muslin, crape, and gauze for particular flow ers, and satin and velvet for thick petals, etc. Wax-flower-making is quite a distinct branch, and those who follow it claim with justice the title of artist. It will be treated under the head of WAX-FLOWERS.
The petals and sepals of the flowers, as well as the leaves of the plant, are stamped out by punches, or " irons," as they are technically termed. A large stock of these irons is necessary, as special forms and sizes are required for each flower. The next process in shaping is that of "goffering," or " gauffering," by means of which the hol low form is given to petals, and the midrib and veins of leaves imitated. For hollowing petals, the goffering iron is simply a polished iron ball mounted on an iron wire in a handle. It is slightly warmed, and the petal is placed on a cushion, and the iron pressed against it. A variety of other forms of goffering-irons are used, such as prismatic rods, bent wires, etc. The venation of leaves is effected by dies made of iron or copper, which are nevertheless called goffering-irons.
The tinting of petals of the best flowers requires some amount of delicacy and skill. In nature, however, the tint of each petal of a flower is rarely uniform; and the best artificial flowers represent the natural variations with great accuracy. The petals of a rose, for example, are dyed by holding each separately by pincers, and then dipping it in a bath of carmine, and afterwards into pure water, to give delicacy of tint; hut as the color is usually deepest in the center, a little more dye is added there while the petal is still moist, and this diffuses itself outwards in diminishing intensity. The whiteness
at the insertion of the petal is produced by touching that part with pure water after the rest is dyed Leaves are cut and stamped in like manner from green taffeta, cambric, calico, etc. The glossy upper surface is represented by coating the taffeta, etc., from which they are Stamped, with gum-arabic; and the soft tone of the under side is obtained by means of starch colored to the requisite shade, and brushed on when of the right consistence to dry with the proper effect. A velvety texture is given by dusting the powdered nap of cloth, which has been previously dyed of the required color, over the gummed leaf, the gum having been allowed to partly dry till it has become "taccy." The superfluous portion of nap is then shaken off. Buds are made of taffeta, tinted, and stiffened, and stuffed with cotton. Stamens are made of short pieces of sewing silk stiffened with gelatine, and when dry, the ends are moistened with gum, and dipped in flour, colored yellow, to represent the pollen. Fine wire is sometimes used for the filament of the stamen.
The flower is built up from the center; the pistil and stamens arc tied in a bunch to a piece of wire; the petals are arranged in order, and pasted; then the sepals of the calyx are.pasted outside of these, and further secured by winding fine thread or silk round the lower parts. Other wires are inclosed with this thread, and form the stalk, which is bound round with green tissue paper; and at proper intervals the leaves are inserted by means of fine wires, to which they are bound, the ends of these wires being bound in and incorporated with the stalk, and concealed by the green paper.
Besides the flowers copied from nature, there is a considerable demand for what are called "fancy flowers," most of which are invented by the manufacturer to use up waste and spoiled fragments originally designed for better purposes.
Flowers suitable for mourning are prepared by coating leaves, flowers, etc., with strong gum, and then dusting upon them powdered galena. This substance, a sulphurer of lead, is formed naturally in-lustrous cubic crystals of a dark-gray color, and however finely it is powdered, the fragments still tesd:tdretitin the saute shape and surface, and thus present a number of fiat glittering facets. It is used in like manner for cheap jewelry.