The Anaconda standard., 1899-09-08
WOMAN WHO eOTANtzES.
A New Method of Drying and Pressing
Out the Specimens

out tne specimens.
The usual method of pressing plants.
though often giving excellent results,
is attended with certain Inconvenience
and drawbacks which become of serious
Importance when perfect specimens are
required. Some years ago l became dis
satisfied with the old method; dissatis-
faction led to experiment and expert
ment evolved one much superior to ii
in the ease and certainty with which
the best results attainable-artistc and
scientihc-can be secured, says Albert
L. Morse in Plant World. Success in
these particulars can be secured only
by some process allowing complete in
spection without disarrangement of
specimens. For this purpose 1 devised
ana nave used with gratifying success
the following process, which may be
called the glass and cotton" method
Inc materials needed are a number
OF quarter-inch boards about 12x1S
lnches, a supply of cotton batting, a
supply of old, or at least soft and
olbuious cotton sheeting, a number of
panes OF glass of various sizes, or half
as large as the mounting paper.
number of fragments of glass of vari-
Gus sizes-1x2. 2X3, 3x4 inches (all of
the glass should have the sharp edges
removed by sandpaper or grinding),
TWO or three long, slender steel knitting
needles-or, better hat pins without
heads-stuck into small handles, and q
few of the usual driers.
For pressing take one of the boards,
place on 1t a drier. cover this with a
layer of cotton batting half an inch or
more thick, and on this lay a single or
double thickness of the sheeting Sc
lect specimen adapted to the size of
the mounting paper, place it on the
cloth, arrange the parts as desired,
holding the slips of glass. When suf-
hiciently wilted or relaxed remove the
glass slips and place over them one of
the large panes of glass, arranging any
portions, If necessary, with one of the
long steel needles by inserting this
from the sides or ends. If difficulty is
experienced in working with the full
sized pane use the half-sze, arranging
each half in turn.
Petals or any part liable to stick to
the glass should be covered with par
affined paper before the glass is laid on.
Every part of the specimen is now held
in place against the glass by an elastic
layer of dry, absorbent material which
will, upon pressure, rapidly extract
the juices of the plant while holding it,
fully extended For pressing, the
boards, with their superimposed bur
dens, are piled one upon another, the
topmost glass is covered with board
and weights placed on top of all. There
is no danger of breaking the glass,
since each piece is supported by the
board Immediately above it. If the
driers, cotton and cloth are thoroughly
dry to begin with it is usually unnec-
essary to change them.
By this method any undesirable ar
rangement. such as interference or
holding of parts, is at once noticed
and may be readily adjusted. while by
judicious bending, folding and placing
truly artistic effects may be secured for
permanent mounts. While not suited
to rough field work or rapid treatment
of plants in quantity, this method is
uneXcelled for preparing the finest
specimens, and / earnestly commend it
to the attention of every botanist who
wishes to display to the best advantage
the scientific character of the species and
to the lover of beauty who seeks to re-
tain in the hortus siccus something of
the grace and charm of the living
nj