YoL /. 



aPRlL, 1876. 



JVo. 6. 



How TO APPLY PRESSURE IN MAKING BOTANICAL SPECIMENS. — The llSe of "large 



Stones, especially if roped round to give easy hold, or a few strong boxes filled 

 with sand leave nothing to be desired" — by fine young fellows who delight in 

 working off their superfluous eneryfies; but for those of us who have reached the 

 •'shady side of forty" with no such surplus vitality to spare, the substitution of 

 some mechanical device which will obviate the laborious lifting of heavy weights, 

 becomes desirable. Simple screw presses are objectionable, especially in the hands 

 of beginners. "The pressure is deceptive and apt to be far too great at first, yet 

 from the nature of the instrument does not follow the contraction of the pile as its 

 moisture escapes." (Mac Owan.; In order to hit that liappy medium between press 

 and squeeze, essential to the preparation of a first rate specimen we must know how 

 much pressure we are applying and it must be increased (at any rate not diminish- 

 ed) as the plant dries. We have had in satisfactory use for several seasons, a press 

 so constructed that the platform whicli supports the pile of driers will yield under 

 just the amount of pressure which we wish to give, thus precluding the possibility 

 of excessive pressure and at the same time obviating all the objections to the use of 

 a screw. The simplest arrangement for this jjurpose is that of a beam resting upon 

 a fulcrum with the platform at one end and the necessary weight at the other. A 

 screw is fixed several feet above the platform. In using place your pile of driers 

 and plants on the platform and apply pressure with the screw until you sink the 

 platform two or three inches. You thus measure your pressure for it can not he great- 

 er than the counterpoise, and what is of more importance as your pile contracts the 

 platform will follow it up with a uniform pressure. Specimens recently gathered 

 will be conveniently placed on the top where they will receive the pressure of the 

 counterpoise, minus the weight of the pile of driers and afterwards towards the bottom 

 where the pressure is greater. Non-essential contrivances for carrying out the 

 plan must be left to the ingenuitj' of any person constructing such a press. Of 

 course it is only the industrious collector at a permanent station who will want 

 anything of the kind. Where only a few hundred specimens are to be made during 

 the summer, stones will answer every purpose. — M. S. B. 



Some Indianapolis notes. — We have anticipated spring by a week of Maple 

 blossoms, and Cardamine rhomboidea, var. purpurea, in full flower on the 24th ult. 

 Tiie Silver-Maples have, however, been crazy for a month and been frozen several 

 times for their temerity. The White Poplars hung out their "caterpillars," as 

 Jolm Bui'roughs ajjtly calls them, to tlie wind last week and are soi'i-y for it to- 

 night, I warrant. The robins, blue-birds, meadow-larks and red-wings have set 

 their noses northward with force enough to stop a glacier, and so doubtless we may 

 expect to play before many weeks. 



I notice that a contributor to Forest and Stream, Wm. Seaman, speaks of Ava- 

 charis Canadensis, Planchon, as decaying readily in the aquarium and thus in two 

 instances killing the fishes. After six months experience with it I rise to its de- 

 fense. A more satisfactorj' plant I never hope to have. By clipping the main 

 stem, the lateral shoots thrive, take root and our only complaint of it is that it 



All communications addressed to John M. Coulter, Hanover, bid. 

 Terms:— Subscription $1.00 a year. Single Numbers 10 cents. 



