282 



THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 



HOW TO TAKE IMPEESSIONS OF PLANTS. 



tHE advantage of being able to take accurate impressions of plant* 

 witbout mucb labour need not be pointed out to those wbo can appreciate 

 what is useful. It is not brought forward as a substitution for dried 

 specimens, v;heie these can be obtained and attended to ; but as being 

 less cumbersome it deserves notice, as a means of refreshing the memory, 

 in very many instances, in a manner equally satisfactory as when specimens are 

 employed. It has, further than this, no claim to novelty, but simply to usefulness. 

 The materials required are few, and these not expensive. One pennyworth of 

 lampblack and one pennyworth of sweet oil are all that will be required beside the 

 paper. A large sheet of paper should be provided, and this should be prepared by 

 rubbing it evenly all over -with a piece of flannel moistened with the oil ; this must 

 be done thoroughly, and when the paper is well moistened, but not in a wet state 

 with the oil, a small quantity of lampblack should be laid evenly over it, also using 

 flannel for this part of the operation. If this preparation can be made a day before 

 using the paper, it will be so much the better. The next process requires great 

 caret — Having the prepared sheet in readiness, place on it evenly and flatly the 

 plant, flower, or leaf, of which an impression is required ; then place over this a dry 

 sheet of paper, and with a handkerchief or cloth press firmly over every part, that 

 it may equally and regularly receive the black preparation. The paper intended to 

 veceive the impression should now be in readiness, and the specimen must be care- 

 fully removed and placed on it, and great care must be taken that its position is 

 not changed ; this, too, must be again evenly and firmly pressed as before, and the 

 impression will be complete, and mast be laid carefully aside to become dry. A 

 specimen or two can be tried on a spare sheet, in order to ascertain whether the 

 blackened sheet is in a proper state of preparation, before it is attempted to take a 

 very careful impression. This is particularly valuable in preserving sketches of the 

 leaves of rare and valuable plants. S. H. 



NEW INVENTIONS. 



• Voice's Patent Ventila-jing Frames. — At several of the great exhibitions of 

 garden implements these frames have been certificated, and have met with general 

 approval. They are the invention and manufacture of Mr. Voice, of Horley, 



voice's patent system of ventiI/Ating garden frames. 



Sussex, and have for their object to combine with the cheap portable frame, the 

 conveniences of a greenhouse, the ventilation of the common frame being a quite 

 haphazard afi'air. The figures show that the lights are levered so as to balance each 

 other, but the very easy way in which the lights can be moved and air given at the 

 discretion of the cultivator, cannot be clearly demonstrated by any figure. We advise 

 those of our readers who are interested in such things to write to Mr. Voice, and 

 obtain his illustrated prospectus. 



