FLOWER, or Flos, the most beautiful part of plants and trees, which contains the organs of fructification.—See Botany, vol. i. p. 316.
From their frequent utility as medicinal drugs, as well as their external beauty, the preservation of flowers becomes an object of some importance. For this purpose, various methods have been devised, from which we select the following, originally suggested by Sir John Hill: Let a sufficient quantity of fine sand be washed, so as completely to separate all extraneous matter. It is next to be dried, and sifted in order to cleanse it from the gross impurities that would not rise in washing. The flower or plant intended to be preserved, should then be gathered with a convenient portion of the stalk, and deposited in an earthen vessel adapted to its size. A small quantity of the sand, prepared as above directed, is next to be heated, and laid on the bottom of the vessel, so as to cover it equally, and the plant or flower placed on such sand, so as to touch no part of the vessel. More sand is then to be sifted over, that the leaves may gradually expand, without receiving any injury, till the plant or flower is covered to the depth of two inches. The vessel is now to be placed in a stove, or hot-house, heated by gradations to the 50th degree of Reaumur, or about 144° of Fahrenheit), where it should stand for one, two, or more days, in proportion to the thickness or succulence of such plant, or flower. At the end of that time, the sand may be gently shaken off on a sheet of paper, and the plant carefully taken out, when it will be found in all its beauty; its shape being as elegant, and its colours as vivid, as when it was growing in a natural state.
There are some flowers, especially tulips, which require certain little operations, in order to preserve the adherence of their petals. With respect to these, it will be necessary to cut the triangular fruit that rises in the middle of the flower, previously to covering it with sand; for the petal will then remain more firmly attached to the stalk.
This method may be applied to such plants and flowers as are employed in medicine: for, though it be not always necessary to preserve their original colour and form, yet the less change they undergo, the better will they retain their natural properties. Farther, the preservation of beautiful leaves and flowers in their original shape and colour, by placing them in such a situation that they may suffer no subsequent alteration, except that from length of time or accident, is surely an object that merits the attention of every lover of Nature.—See Herbal.
Beside this mode of preserving flowers, they may be prepared so as to retain their beauty during the winter, and even to blow at any period required. In order to succeed in in this attempt, the most perfect buds of the flowers, should be selected at the time when they are about to open. These should be cut off with a pair of scissars, leaving to each a piece of the stem about three inches in length; the end of which is immediately to be covered with Spanish wax. As soon as the buds are somewhat shrunk and wrinkled, they are to be folded up, separately, in a piece of clean dry paper, and deposited
