A STUDY OF AUTUMN WEEDS 



Making a collection. Collect within a radius of four blocks of this 

 building as many different kinds of weeds as you can. Obtain two speci- 

 mens of each weed, six inches or so in length, to show shape of leaf, stem, 

 characteristics of the blossom and fruit if possible. Number these weeds. 

 At the same time collect samples of the seeds of the weeds, a thimbleful 

 of each. Keep these in papers folded to hold them and numbered to cor- 

 respond to the weeds. Dampen one set of the weeds collected and keep 

 them in a box for identification later. Spread each specimen of the other 

 set between the leaves of an old magazine with unglossed pages or between 

 sheets of newspaper. Put them at once under a heavy weight to press. 

 Change the paper at the end of twelve and again at the end of twenty-four 



FIG. 2. Sample cover decoration for Weed Book 



hours so that they will dry rapidly, else the specimens will not retain their 

 natural colors. 



After they have been in press for ten days they may be mounted on 

 sheets like the following. Mount one specimen on a sheet by touching 

 tube glue to several points on the back of leaf, stem, and fruit, then 

 laying it in the desired position on the sheet. After identification (see 

 below) label each weed with its proper name, both common and scientific, 

 and with the name of the family to which it belongs. Arrange the sheets 

 on which the weeds are mounted in the order in which they occur in Gray's 

 Manual of Botany. (You will find this in the library.) This will bring 

 all weeds of the same family together. You will be expected to know at 

 least fifty weeds and to have half that number in your collection. It will 

 be wise to include in the collection the ones you find it most difficult to 

 remember. There follows also a heavy paper cover for the weed book. 

 Bind the weed mounts in it after you have printed the cover. You may 

 make an attractive cover design either in black or color or simply print the 

 words "Weed Book" upon it. (See illustration, Fig. 2.) 



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