182 HORTICULTURIST'S RULE-BOOK. 



days until the liquid is thoroughly absorbed, and then press in the 

 ordinary way, except that dry sand is sifted over the specimen 

 and the packet submitted to the action of gentle heat for 24 hours. 



2. Make a varnish composed of 20 parts of powdered copal 

 and 500 parts of ether, powdered glass or sand being used to 

 make the copal dissolve more readily. Into this solution the 

 plants are carefully dipped ; then they are allowed to dry for 

 10 minutes, and the same process is repeated four or five 

 times in succession. 



3. Plants may also be plunged in a boiling solution of 1 part 

 of salicylic acid and 600 of alcohol, and then dried in bibulous 

 paper. But this should be done very rapidly, violet flowers 

 especially being decolorized by more than an instantaneous 

 immersion. 



4. Red flowers which have changed to a purplish tint in dry- 

 ing may have their color restored by laying them on a piece of 

 paper moistened with dilute nitric acid (1 part to 10 or 12 parts 

 of water), and then submitting them to moderate pressure for 

 a few seconds ; but the solution must not touch the green 

 leaves, as they are decolorized by it. 



5. With Sulphur. (Quin.) Procure a chest about 3 or 4 

 feet square, with a small opening in the under part of one side, 

 to be closed by a bar, through which the basin containing brim- 

 stone must be put into the chest ; this opening must be covered 

 inside with perforated tin, in order to prevent those flowers 

 which hang immediately over the basin from being spoiled. 

 Paper the inside to render it air-tight. When the chest is ready 

 for use, nail small laths on two opposite sides of the interior, at 

 a distance of about 6 inches apart, and on these lay thin round 

 sticks upon which to arrange the flowers ; these should not be 

 too close together, or the vapor will not circulate freely through 

 the vacant spaces around the flowers. When the chest is suffi- 

 ciently full of flowers, close it carefully, place a damp cloth on 

 the sides of the lid, and some heavy stones upon the top of it ; 

 then take small pieces of brimstone, put them in a small flat 

 basin, kindle and put through the opening in the bottom of the 

 chest and shut the bar. Leave the chest undisturbed for 24 



