Bygone Blossoms

While researching the family Bible to work on our heritage site, I found pressed blossoms that appear to be hibiscus. I have reason to believe these are very old, possibly prior to 1900. Yuska

They are beautiful...was your family in the San Antonio area in that time frame?

No, in Gwinnett County, Georgia. Among other occupations, they grew silkworms, and made some of the family's clothing from the cloth. A tablecloth of the fabric was divided and edged with crochet to pass down to some of us descendants.

Yuska,

What a truly beautiful thing to have. You may check with the County Extension Agent in Gwinnett County, Georgia. Send them a copy of the dried blossoms. They may have information as to what type of
hibiscus were avaiable at that time. Also try contacting a historical society in that area. Alot of them keep records as to what type of plant material would have been in use in that area.

Thanks for these excellent ideas. My brother has done most of the tracing thus far, and we now know that the families were active in community affairs in Lawrenceville, about halfway between Atlanta and Athens. I wish I could have seen their farm. I think I've read that silkworms feed on mulberry leaves; if so the place must have been nicely shaded.

I'm also wondering how to preserve these pressed blossoms. Altho they've done well in this very large and fascinating volume, I'd like to be sure they'll be around for the rest of the family coming along...the ones for whom we're doing the heritage site.