HOW TO PEESBEVB THEM. 249 



sand. The sand will act as an equal pad to the plant, 

 and as an absorbent during the drying process, during 

 which the sand must be changed two or three times, 

 and the boxes placed near a good fire. 



"When the plants are dry, many of the firmer 

 varieties may be simply labelled and placed in a drawer 

 or cabinet. The more delicate and perfect specimens 

 should be mounted on stout cartridge-paper, though 

 any ordinary brown paper will answer the purpose if 

 sufficiently stout. The paper may be cut to any con- 

 venient size, and if the flower is too tall the stem may 

 be bent backwards and forwards, so that the whole 

 plant may be placed on the paper. The plants may 

 be secured in their places by a little strong solution 

 of gum arabic, paste, or glue. The smaller plants 

 may be gummed at once to the paper, whilst others, 

 possessing a woody fibre, must be fastened down 

 firmly by straps of paper. The best plan to do this 

 successfully is to mark with a pencil the spots where 

 the straps are required, and make a slit in the mount- 

 ing-paper on each side of the stem, so that the straps 

 may be passed through and be firmly secured by 

 cement on the other side of the paper. This gives a 

 neat appearance to the mounted specimen ; at the same 



