248 ENGLISH WILD FLOWEES. 



warmed at the fire, and two or three thicknesses of 

 paper, also warmed, kid over it. The plant should be 

 arranged carefully on this in the manner it is wished 

 to preserve it. The leaves should be smoothed, and the 

 flower and stem bent, if necessary, within the required 

 space. Then place more warm paper, and repeat 

 the process until some eight or ten specimens are 

 included. A piece of board is then laid over all, and 

 tightly strapped up. The boards are then laid on 

 some dry convenient spot, and a few books or other 

 weighty articles may be placed at the top to press 

 them. Some of the aquatic and other plants of a 

 moist nature will require to have the paper changed 

 once or twice ere the drying process can be completed. 

 It will be found that dandelions, thistles, and hawk- 

 weeds will ripen their seed during the drying pro- 

 cess ; whilst others, such as the pines, are likely to 

 crumble to pieces : to obviate the latter, the specimen 

 should be plunged into boiling water for a few 

 minutes prior to being placed within the blotting- 

 paper. Fungi will require particular treatment, as 

 they cannot be pressed. The firmer varieties should 

 be placed in separate sheets of blotting-paper, and the 

 jelly -like varieties in tin boxes nearly filled with silver 



