MECHANICS AND USEFUL ARTS. 95 



Austria in the year 1853, and since in England by Messrs. Bradbury and 

 Evans. 



There is one other form of nature printing, viz., that of Felix Abate, of 

 Naples, for producing representations of the grain of wood as exhibited by 

 sections. This process depends in a great measure upon heat. 



We have now noticed four distinct forms of nature printing ; the first be- 

 ing that in which the object was prepared by being blackened ; the second, 

 the impressing of vegetable objects into soft metals ; the third, the prepara- 

 tion of minerals, so as to- render them capable of producing images of them- 

 selves ; and the fourth, the preparation of wood, so as to render it capable of 

 yielding impressions which are its true image; these are distinct varie- 

 ties. 



Mr. Henry Bradbury states that we are indebted to Kniphof for the ap- 

 plication of the process in its rude state ; to Kliyl for having first made use 

 of steel rollers ; to Branson for the first suggestion of the electrotype ; to 

 Leydolt for the remarkable results he obtained in the representation of flat 

 objects of mineralogy ; to Haidinger for having promptly suggested the im- 

 pression of a plant into a plate of metal at the very time the modus operandi 

 had been provided ; to Abate for its application to the representation of the 

 different sorts of ornamental woods on paper, &c. ; and to "VYorring for his 

 practical services in carrying out the plans of Leydolt and Haidinger. In 

 this statement he supposes each man to have been acquainted with the works 

 of those who had gone before him ; but it is improbable that this was the 

 case. 



Mr. Bradbury states that if anything but a thoroughly dried vegetable 

 specimen be placed between the plates of soft lead and steel, it will be spread 

 in all directions and distorted to an unlimited extent, without leaving any 

 impression in the soft metal, save a most undesirable one ; therefore, the use 

 of thoroughly dried specimens, and those only, is a necessity of the process. 

 To this drying there is this objection that the texture is frequently des- 

 troyed. Another objection is, that the necessary pressure frequently shatters 

 the specimen. 



"We shall now proceed to notice a new process of "nature printing," in 

 that of using natural objects, leaves, or flowers as a printing surface, and 

 printing with them on a lithographic stone, or metallic plate or cylinder, 

 and after subjecting them to the usual processes for rendering them fit for 

 printing, taking impressions in the usual ways. 



The precise mode of procedure is as follows : 



1st. The lithographic process. " We take a leaf, for example, and care- 

 fully dab it with lithographic ink. To enable us to coat the leaf evenly 

 with ink, a small quantity of the latter is placed on a piece of damp writing 

 paper, which rests upon several sheets of damp paper or cloth, under which 

 is situated a warm metallic disc. The ink is spread thinly over the sheet 

 of writing paper, and the leaf to be reproduced is placed upon it. The leaf 

 i.s dabbed with the ink dabber, the latter being renewed with ink from the 

 surrounding paper. The leaf is placed with the prepared side downwards, 

 on a lithographic stone which has been previously warmed. A sheet of 



