The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-06-11
PRESSING PLANTS.
A New Method of Preserving Them for Artlss
tic Effects.

tic Effects,
The usual method of pressing plants,
though often giving excellent results
is attended with certain inconvenience
and drawbacks which become Of Sc
rious Importance when perfect speci.
mems are required. Some years ago
became dissatisfied with the old meth
cd; dissatisfaction led to experiment
and experiment evolved one much SUI
perior to it in the ease and certainty
with which the best results attainable-
artistic and scientific-can be secured,
says Albert P. Morse in Plant World.
Success in these particulars can be se-
cured only by some process allowing
complete inspection without dlsar-
rangement of specimens For this puro
pose / devised and have used Win
gratifying success the following pro-
cess, which may be called the glass
and cotton" method: The materials
needed are a number of quarter-inch
boards about 70 by IS inches; a supply
Of cotton batting; a supply of Old or
at least soft and bibulous, cotton sheet
ing; a number of panes of glass OF inc
same size or half as large as lh9
mounting paper; a number Of rag
ments Of glass of various sizes-lX1
2X3, 2X4 inches Gall of the glass should
nave the sharp edges removed by sanu-
paper or grinding); two or three lohs'
slender steel knitting needles-or, oet-
ter, hat pins, without heads-stuck mo
small handles, and a few of the usua1
driers.
For pressing, take one of the boards
place on it a drier. cover this win
layer of cotton batting half an incn on
more thick, and on this lay single OF
double thickness of the sheeting seleco
a specimen adapted to the size OF tns
mounting paper, place it on the cloth
arrange the parts as desired. ,holdlLs
them down temporarily if need be WIN
the slips of glass. When suttlclenuy
WlIted or relaxed remove the glasS
slips and place over it one of the larse
panes of glass, arranging any poruons
II necessary, with one of the long slsel
needles by inserting this from the sues
or ends. If difficulty is experienced IN
working with the full-sized pane uSo
the half-size, arranging each nan III
turn.
Petals or any part liable to suck u
the glass should be covered with pas
afifned paper before the glass is ld.u
on. Every part of the specimen IS now
held in place against the glass by an
elastic layer of dry, absorbent ma
terial which will, upon pressure ray
idly extract the juices of the pl ~.
while holding it fully EXTENDED. ~
pressing, the boards, with their SUPP
imposed burdens, are piled one tPoiS;
another, the tOpmost glass Is Gov ~,
with a board and weights placed "a
top of all. There is no danger OF Di e S,Ie.
ing the glass, since each piece Is sup
ported by the board Immediately doo ,rs
it, If the driers. cotton and cloths az -
thoroughly dry to begin WIN i.
usually unnecessary to change ar.
By this method any undeslraDle NJ.
rangements. such as interferen I'D
holding of parts, is at once n I.,I bT
and may be readily adjusted wiI VIII
judicious bending, folding ana Pl'".,,rsd
truly artistic effects may oe s,,i--
for permanent mounts. WINE ~ ~ +rsat-
ed to rough field work or RAPID 18th.
ment of plants in quantity, TINS - An.
Cd is unexcelled for preparing tlIt,i+ion
est quality of museum and eNiii.,,5 Il
specimens. and | earnestly com ~ Tho
to the attention of every botaills s,+sgs
wishes to display to the best al .- ,,,,ci
the scientific character of the sp.osks
and to the lover of beauty VIZ ,otblng
to retain in the hortus siccus son ,;,,ing
of the grace and charm OF inc
plants.