280 THE KINDS OF PLANTS 



" driers." They may be purchased of dealers in botanical 

 supplies, or they can be cut from felt "carpet paper." It 

 is well to place the specimen in a folded sheet of news- 

 paper, and then lay the newspaper between the driers. If 

 the specimens are large or succulent, three or four driers 

 should be laid between them. The sheets may be piled 

 one above another, until the pile becomes so high (12-18 

 in.) that it tends to tip over. On the top place a board 

 of the dimensions of the drier, and apply twenty to 

 thirty pounds of stones or other weight. Change the driers 

 but not the newspapers once a day at first, laying the 

 driers in the sun for a time. In a dry, warm place, most 

 plants will dry in a week or ten days. When thoroughly 

 dried, they retain no soft, sappy, fresh -green areas, and 

 they usually break if bent sharply. They will be per- 

 fectly flat. 



The specimen may now be secured to strong white 

 paper, known as "mounting paper." The regulation size 

 of the sheets is Il%xl6% inches. It is the quality of 

 heaviest ledger paper. By the ream, it can be bought 

 for one cent or less a sheet. The specimen should be large 

 enough nearly or quite to cover the sheet, unless the 

 entire plant is smaller than this. It may be glued down 

 tight, as one pastes pictures in a scrap-book, or it may 

 be held in place by strips of gummed paper. The 

 former is the better way, because the plants are not so 

 easily broken. Only one species should go on a sheet. 

 In one corner, glue the label. This label should give the 

 place and date of collecting, name of collector, and any 

 information as to height, color, nature of soil, and the 

 like. Sooner or later, the label should contain the name 

 of the plant; but the name need not be determined until 

 after the plant is mounted. 



The sheets of one genus are laid together in a folded 

 sheet of strong straw-colored paper. This folded sheet is 



