Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1913-09-11
HOW TO PRESERVE PLANTS
How to "Curc" Botanical SpcciEsns
So az to Keep Form and Color
Uuimpnired.

ttrom the Literary DlBeSt)
Many people like to keep mementoes OK
pless mt ampng-trips or other excur-
sions in field or forest. by lake shore or
seashore. in the shape OF rare or beauti-
ful plants and flowers. All such enthu-
siasts as we'll rs professional botansts,
will be interested to learn the best mod
err methods Of so curing" these speci-
mems as to preserve their beauty OF form
and color almost unimpaired. We quote
the following detailed descriptions from
Kosmos (Stuttgart
The simplest process for plants Of
field and forest consists In irlpresnatlng
every part with a naphthalin solution. In
warm room we I'LL large preserve
Jar with a saturated solution Of naph-
thallnbenxoL which can be bought at
any drugstore. In order to ria It of the
undesirable quality OF turning violet and
red colorins matter into blue. we add
to every 200 gram. OF this two drops
Of concentrated solution OF salicylic
acid in absolute alchohol Into this So
luton the dry stems and twigs Of the
plants are dipped. They may be removed
in few minutes, as soon as crystalli-
zation takes place, when the whole upper
surface is covered with naphthalin crys-
tails. They are then hung up to dry in
an airy room and will retain their natural
colors permanently"
Since this method Is not feasible for
largo specimens, on account Of the size
OF the jar and the quantity of solution de-
handed. second process has found IA
vor:
This depends on the quality possessed
by formaldehyde OF hardening albumi-
nous substances and changing them into
forms insolublc In ter BY means OF
a brush, leaves and blossoms are painted
with several coats Of q twenty per cent
| gelatin solution, or one OF thirty parts
| OF ess-albumen In seventy parts OF
water This coating Is thoroughly dried
q nd then leaves and blossoms are brush
ed with ten per cent solution Of for
maldehyde, which causes the coating OF
albumen or gelatin gradually to harden
Tho thicker the coat of gelatin or al
| bumen, the more solid the final coat
which however. remains flexible, so that
the plants do not look lifeless, though
unfortunately the covering is very ap.
parent"
This process. however, is not fitted 70,
|
which lose their beauty thereby. 1t is
recommended that such specimens be
treated by a third process:
''Hygroscopc wrddins Is cut with sells
sors into fine flakes The object is pack
ed In these after they have been used &c
I'LL the corolla and other hollow parts
and is kept In place by tiny sticks Of
very fine florists wire, At the end o.
fourteen days the delicate mummy may
be cautiously removed by the aid Of small
pincers."
| For large. coarse. specimens, however
1.-THE method most commonly employed !!
that Of drying by means Of fine sand
Where the plants have "fleshy" parts
rich In water. preliminary treatmen
Of suIphurtc acid Is advised, The plants
are put into a large glass cylinder hold
ling a mixture OF eight parts Of water t.
ono part OF alcohol saturated with sui
phurtc aoid, being so placed that onl!
their stem. touch the liquid;
I'm the course Of n few hours the aciC
Twill have caused the fading disappearance
OF all the colors. but they will reoppca
in their natural brllliance when tn
specimans ore dried. At first tho greel
parts will be trifle yellowish and tn
brown parts somewhat reddish"
Thi. acid treatment Is merely prelimin
ary 10 the actual process Of drying b!
means OF fine sand. For this simpi
Apparatus is employed consisting OF
wooden frnme which fits inside box
the bottom OF the frame being made o
La co rse-meshed sieve. The sand mus
be very fine and should be well washe
In several waters, so as TO remove a.
ldirt, then spread on a board and al
flowed 20 dry in an airy room for severa
days. 1t is then heated in an oven an
mixed with paraffin to one of sand. b
weight, and stirred thoroughly tl tn
grains Of sand are coated In anothe
metal pan is put mixture of six part
Of the clean dry sand with one part %
weighD of pure potassium chloride, an
D the mixture is heated till the meltin
: potassium chloride has coated the san
grains. Two parts Of the paraffin san
t are well mixed with potassium chloride
Then the plants are wiped free of tn
! acid and fastened into the shape the
are meant to retain by means Of sill
! thread and tiny sticks. The corolla
1 filled with the prepared sand and the
r the plants are placed In the frame In I'll
desired position and covered lightly an
: evenly with the sand. The box is carrie
a carefully out into the sunshine and COY
cred with glass plate. or, in rain
weather. placed near the hearth. TT
lplants will be dry In about fourteen day
1.-THE frame Is then lifted from the bo
o the sand flows out through the siev
e land the specimens may be freed OF sticl
land threads