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[HE WHO SERVES WELL NEED NOT BE AFRAID TO ASK HIS WAGES.] 2533. Leaves of Flowers. Where the manufactured foundations cannot be obtained, patterns of them should be cut in paper; the venous appearance may be imparted to the wax by pressing the leaf upon it. 2534. Sprigs of Plants. In the construction of sprigs, it is most important to be guided by sprigs of the natural plant, as various kinds of plants have many different characteristics in the grouping of their flowers, leaves and branches. 2535. Selection of Sheets of Wax. When about to copy a flower, take care in the selection of good sheets of wax, and see that their colours are precisely those of the flower you desire to imitate. 2536. Imitation of Tints, Stripes, Spots, &c. For the tints, stripes, and spots of variegated flowers, you will be supplied with colours among the other materials; and the application of them is precisely upon the principle of water-colour painting. 2537. Fruit, &c., in Wax. For the imitating of fruit in wax, very different rules are to be observed. The following directions may, however, be generally followed: The material of which moulds for waxen fruit should be composed is the best plaster of Paris, such as is used for plaster casts, &c. If this cannot be procured, the inferior plaster, from the oil-shop, may be substituted, if it can be obtained quite fresh. If, however, the plaster is faulty, the results of the modelling will of course be more or less faulty also. It is the property of plaster of Paris to form a chemical union with water, and to form a pasto winch rapidly "sets" or hardens into a substance of the density of firm chalk. The mould must therefore be formed by impression from the object to be imitated, made upon the plaster before it sets.