Becoming Acquainted with Trees 



FIGS. 4-5. A slat press for drying specimens of leaves and flowers. 



two changes at intervals of a day or two will probably 

 suffice for the leaves of most trees. If newspapers are 

 used for " driers," they should be changed each day 

 until the specimens are dry. In pressing delicate plant 

 specimens it is easier to handle them if you lay each one 

 in a folded sheet of thin paper before putting it into 

 the press. You need not remove it from this thin paper 

 when you change the drying sheets, or before you find 

 time to mount the dry specimen. 



The slat press. If you have the tools and materials, 

 you can make a slat press, to which pressure is applied 

 by means of a cord or by straps. Such a press is con- 

 venient to handle at home and may be carried to the 

 woods. It makes better-looking specimens than a 

 board press, because it is somewhat flexible and applies 

 pressure along the edges as well as in the middle and 

 thus keeps the tips of all the leaves flat. 



Mounting specimens. To preserve the pressed speci- 

 mens so that they can be examined without risk of 

 breaking, mount them on sheets of unruled stiff white 

 paper. You can fasten them to the paper with glue, 



