LABELING. Figs. 1215-1218. The characters de- 

 anded iu a good plant label are legibility, convenience, 

 mibility and a reasonable cheapness. The purposes 

 r which labels are needed by the horticulturist may 

 : grouped as follows: (1) For pots, boxes, frames and 

 inches; (2) for stock in storage or transit; (3) for 

 ws, plots or beds in garden, nursery, orchard, etc.; 

 : ) for individual trees, shrubs and plants. 

 Of the materials that may be used for labels, wood 

 >lds the first place, and the soft, easily worked nature 



white pine makes this the favorite, though other 

 ore durable woods, such as cedar, cypress, spruce and 

 ulberry, are used to some extent. Machine-made, ready 

 tinted wooden labels of convenient shapes and sizes, 

 om 4 to 12 inches in length, (see 1, Fig. 1215) are car- 

 ed in all stocks of gardeners' supplies, and are in corn- 

 on use in all work with plants in pots, boxes, benches, 

 c., and to some extent in out-of-door gardening; but 

 ese should not be trusted when the label is expected 



endure for a considerable time. In the storage of 

 afts and cuttings in pits or cellars, two of these labels 

 lould be written and slipped together under the tie, 

 e outer one for immediate reference and the under 

 id protected one for security when the other becomes 

 jfaced. 



Notched or perforated labels (2, 3, Fig. 1215), with or 

 ithout wires, are also prepared for nurserymen's use, 

 3 strung with soft copper wire being the best, 

 hese are used in the shipping of nearly all trees and 

 irubs, and here great annoyance would be saved if all 

 ames were written distinctly and with a heavy impres- 

 on. If such labels are used on stock after planting, 

 e grower should use great care that stems and branches 

 -e not choked by the wire. The printing of any de- 

 red names may be procured on order, effect- 

 g a great saving of time and a gain in dis- 

 nctness. 



For marking rows, plots, etc., stakes should 

 'e used large enough to readily attract atten- 

 on and not be broken over or moved in cul- 

 'vation. A very serviceable stake for nur- 

 'eries, trial grounds and gardens is made by 

 atting 2 inch pine or cyress plank 2% inches 

 ide and 2 feet long, pointing and giving two 

 ood coats of paint. Inscriptions may be sten- 

 iled on these as suggested in 4, Fig. 1215, 

 ritten with a heavy pencil, or better, when 

 ames. dates and list or plot numbers are 

 anted, written on a square of sheet zinc and 

 'istened to the face of the stake with small 

 ails. (No. 5.) An annual coat of paint 

 Illiterates old lettering and preserves the 

 'ood. 



' A common wooden label for borders, groups 

 'r specimen plants is shown by No. 6 and a 

 ariation by No. 7. The stakes should be of 

 ome durable wood, and the whole well painted. 

 . paint of pure lampblack and oil is the most 

 idestructible that we have, and letters of this 

 ill stand out like type after the lead paint 

 nd the very wood surface have weathered 

 way from them. An effective contrast is ob- 

 iined by painting the face of the label black 

 nd doing the lettering in white. 

 For more permanent labels in a variety of 

 orms, sheet zinc has proved superior to all 

 ther materials. It may be stamped with steel 

 itter dies or written upon with a common 

 ?ad pencil, but more commonly a chemical 

 ak is used. The common formula for this in 

 orticultural books is substantially that pre- 

 ared by the French chemist. Brainnot, in 

 337, and is as follows: Take two parts by 

 weight of verdigris (acetate of copper) , two of 

 al ammoniac (ammonium chloride), one part 

 f lampblack and thirty parts of soft water. 



The chemicals should be incorporated with a little of the 

 water, and the balance added. Keep in a glass bottle 

 tightly corked and shake frequently while using, as the 

 lampblack tends to separate. The zinc, cut in the desired 

 forms, should be prepared by scouring slightly with em- 

 ery dust or fine sand paper. The ink may be applied with 

 a quill or coarse steel pen, but a fresh one will be needed 

 with each batch of labels. Inks of an aqueous solution 

 of chloride of copper or of chloride of mercury are also 

 recommended for writing on zinc, which should first be 

 cleaned with a weak solution of muriatic acid. Bichlor- 

 ide of platinum is one of the blackest inks for zinc. A 

 slightly oxidized zinc surface may be written upon with 

 a soft lead pencil, and while the inscription will not be 

 very distinct at first will grow more so with age, and 

 will endure for years. 



A wired zinc label, as shown in 8, Fig. 1215, if exposed 

 to the wind will sometimes cut out the eye completely, 

 unless care is taken to twist the wire up tightly. Strips 

 of zinc five-eighths of an inch wide and 7 inches long (9, 

 Fig. 1215), coiled loosely around a branch, as in No. 10, 

 are the most serviceable form of tree label, but even 

 these should be noticed every year, that they do not be- 

 come fastened into the fork of a rapidly-growing tree. 



For borders or beds of herbaceous perennials, bulbs, 

 and the like, the label shown in No. 11 is excellent and 

 inexpensive. A piece of galvanized wire Nos. 6-8 in size, 

 is cut 1% to 2 feet long, bent to shape and the written 

 zinc tablet closed in. For a more conspicuous label, the 

 zinc may be given a coat of white lead, then one of black 

 enamel paint, and the letters be traced in white. In some 

 European botanical gardens a zinc tablet stamped with 

 sunken letters brought into relief by paint are used for 

 similar purposes. A zinc label, with two wire legs to 



1215. Various types of labels. 



55 



(863) 



