158 MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



Soon the graphite becomes indelibly fixed on the zinc and then is 

 quite as permanent as is the chemical ink. Labels are readily oxi- 

 dized sufBciently to write on with a pencil by exposing them for a 

 few weeks in a damp place. This is much the quickest method of 

 marking any metal labels, and makes one of the very best labels 

 that can be had for out-door purposes. I have seen such perfectly 

 clear after ten years' exposure. 



Zinc labels may also have the names of plants or catalogue 

 numbers stamped in their surface with steel dies. The letters are 

 rendered clearer by rubbing black paint into the lines after stamp- 

 ing. This is an extremely good and permanent method, but if 

 the labor of stamping is to be expended, copper, or pure tin, as 

 suggested farther on, is preferable. 



Steel dies for stamping letters or numbers may be obtained at 

 hardware stores, of various sizes, each letter at the end of a metal 

 shaft. When a large amount of numbering is to be done, it is 

 economy to use a machine which has numbers arranged serially on 

 rotary wheels, with which the operator can work very rapidly. 



It may be often desirable to paint numbers or names directly on 

 zinc ; for this purpose the lacquer sold under the name of " Nubian 

 black," answers very well. 



Zinc labels of various sizes and patterns may be purchased of 

 some of our dealers in horticultural supplies, or sheets of zinc 

 can be purchased at about eight cents a pound and cut up as 

 desired, making very cheap labels. 



In English horticultural papers, iron labels are advertised ; also 

 zinc, with the names in relief. They must be very good, but 

 necessarily limited to comparatively common names. Iron, or 

 tinned iron, is frequently used for painted labels, especialh' for 

 trees and in botanic gardens. The surface is first painted a neutral 

 color and then the name is painted in a contrasting color. This 

 makes an expensive, but very neat and attractive label where large 

 ones are needed. A good example may be seen in labels on the 

 trees in Boston Common which are painted in two shades of 

 brown. Robinson in " The English Flower Garden," suggests that 

 the upper margin of such a label be bent forward at an acute angle, 

 thus forming a little coping to protect the label from the weather, 

 and it seems as if it would be very efficient. Such labels would prob- 

 ably be best painted on thin copper, as the rusting of iron invari- 

 ably in time discolors and splits off the paint. Zinc, I believe, does 



