[Herbalist] Rose Beads

[Una 'nyen Dougal]

Hi, I would like to post in reply to "sheepstealer"
rosary project page: first of all, nice photos!
However, is that mold in the jar in that last
picture?!? I hope not, it'd be a shame to lose all of
that (time,effort AND the rose petals). Looks like you
are well on your way to an insanity project, and the
roses _here_ are fading or gone already... but for
anybody else who might be interested:

I found this in _Rodale's Illustrated Encyclopedia of
Herbs_ (isbn 0878576991) I know this is WAY not a
period book, but it has a lot of garden/herbal history
in it as well as a lot of good, basic info: for our
new friend too, it has been one of the textual
foundations ofmy herbalist life for many years...

In the section on "scents from herbs" they give the
following recipe/project:

"Rose beads:
...you will need a lot of petals... about a half
bushel-and considerable patience. It takes several
weeks to prepare a paste from the rose petals,then
several more to dry the beads formed of the paste.
... collect petals early in the morning ona dry day.
Use fresh petals, discard any that are brown or
wilted... macerate them with a mortar & pestle as has
been done traditionally(*Una's note - or a Big Stick,
Sheepstealer? *wink*), but pureeing them in a blender
is easier (*if you're going more for end product -
whichwould be ok - rather than for the 'authentic'
experience - which is ok too, whichever is your thing*
Una)...
...Rose beads have a dull, ebony appearance. To
acquire the color, simmer the paste for about an hour
ina cast iron pot or skillet with just enough water to
cover. Let (it) cool then simmer again. Iron reacts
with the roses to turnthem black. Grind the petals
each day for about 2 weeks until a paste forms that is
thick enough to roll into beads - about the
consistency of clay..."

The book suggests rubbing your fingertips with rose
oil before rolling the rose/clay into beads which will
keep the stuff from sticking to your hands as well as
imparting some scent of the rose to the beads. The
beads will shrink to about half their original size &
you'll need large needles or pins to pierce each bead
& the book says that some people string them on wire
to dry - which takes "1 to 2 weeks" (*so if I had
raided the neighborhood rose bushes, I'd have a rosary
by now!*)

My grand mother had a necklace of these things, they
really DO last darn near forever & they smell great -
but not like fresh roses at all - my grandmother's
were _probably_ made with semi-modern roses combined
with the venerable apothacary rose - which even
yearsafter making the beadsgave them its strong
peppery character. Got to get one of those shrubs some
day...

By the way - does anyone have advice onpropagating
roses from cuttings?!?

Thanks all, have fun with your rose mush!
Una

__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Sign up for SBC Yahoo! Dial - First Month Free
http://sbc.yahoo.com