WAX FLOWERS
AS AN
IMITATIVE AND DECORATIVE ART.
The art of imitating flowers in wax is, perhaps, the most beautiful method known of preserving a life-like representation of garden-gems, as the form, color, and texture can be imitated to perfection; while artistic feeling on the part of the student is required to complete the idea that flowers can be made to resemble nature in every respect, as regards form, color, the texture, stamens, and other parts of the natural flower.
Most of the flowers I have seen made in wax I will not call imitations of nature, but stiff, awkward, badly tinted things, devoid of beauty, verisimilitude, or taste. Nothing looks so unlike a natural flower; and these faults can be easily avoided by a little observation of nature.
The first rule I would lay down is to examine the natural flower. Take the pattern of the petals, count the number in the flower, and mark it on the pat-
