Fathoming the Mysteries.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1126, 13 May 1911, Page 11

Fathoming the Mysteries.

Let. us. then follow tho workers at tho. "flower manufactory," as they-su cunningly devise their work; Tho neciusary material having been "prepared" and dressed, is then passed on .to the cutters, who stamp out the patterns by means'of steel dies specially cut to. the shapes.and sizes of the various flowep. At. a lever'sits a young girl, who, with the 'utmost ease rapidly stamps packet after packet of flowers or leaves as the oaso may bo. Nwr by is a man with tho old-time pattern, and a hammer, with which he is stamping out other designs- on a sheet of.'lead. "Tho hand does that'which the lever cannot," remarks 'the manager, "but electricity has stepped in and taken tho place of both. .All this work will be done by electric power when our new premises arc completed, which will, of course, make it much easier for the worker."

The cutting-out is,.in fact, tho only mechanical-part; in the art of flowermaking—this being one of the few industries which is still worked by "Nature's tool," the hand. From the cut-ting-room the designs are,forwarded Jto the artist for'colouring and shading. They .are then placed in. hot air'compartments to bs dried,-after'which they are. placed in tho hands of the modeller, who veins and moulds the petals into shape preparatory to being mounted or made up into the flower. ■ With astonishing rapidity deft fingers set pach petal into place on the fine- wiro stack, finally closing all with-the green thus we havo ,a. beautiful flower.Hifeady to -bo: mounted, cither into sprays or wreaths,