52 Wyoming Experiment Station. 



keep the base and top in place when the pres- 

 sure is relaxed strips of board \^a\ inches are nailed to 

 the ends. The floor to receive the package of plants is 

 1 2x1 8 inches, made by nailing pine board | inches thick 

 crosswise of the base. The screw is a |-inch bolt with i 5 

 threads to the inch, about 15 inches thread bearing. A 

 square nut is sunk on the under side of the top bar and 

 held in position by a piece of tin tacked over it, the 

 tin having a circ-ular hole in it large enough to admit 

 the bolt. The follower is made of a strip of pine 1x5x18 

 inches, crosswise on which is nailed pine board | of an inch 

 thick, making the surface I2xi8 inches. On the upper 

 face of the follower is fastened a small flat piece of iron 

 with a sunk center to receive the end of the screw. The 

 projecting end of the screw is made square, on which a 

 removable handle with a square slot is used. 



This homely, home-made press has the following 

 advantages: It will furnish all the pressure that can pos- 

 sibly be desired; a large quantity of material can be han- 

 dled at one time; coarse harsh plants can be forced into 

 shape and held there; pacKages that have been in the 

 screw press for twenty-four hours can be satisfactorily 

 handled in the strap presses; moisture can be forced out 

 so rapidly that by frequent change of driers the drying of 

 the material may be considerably hastened; natural colors 

 can be preserved in plants that by ordinary means would 

 blacken; it furnishes a safe and convenient way for carry- 

 ing the material while in press and in every way greatly 

 facilitates the making of good flat specimens. 



It was found that the capacity of this press is much 

 greater than its dimensions would indicate. With a good 

 quality of carpet felt for driers and single pressing sheets, 



