1 66 The Horticulturist' s Rule- Book. 



Preserving and Printing of Flowers and Plants, continued, 

 laying the book on the floor and standing upon it for a few sec- 

 onds. Soft book paper is the best, and, previous to using it, 

 place a few sheets between damp blotting paper, which causes 

 it to take the ink still more readily. At first you will find that 

 you lay on too much ink. If the impression is too black, use 

 the leaf again. If the midrib of the leaf is too thick, it must 

 be shaved down with a sharp knife. 



3 Leaf -Prints. (Engle.) i. A small ink roller, such as 

 printers use for inking type. 2. A quantity of green printer's 

 ink. 3. A pane of stout window glass (the larger the better) 

 fastened securely to an evenly planed board twice the size of 

 the glass. A small quantity of the ink is put on the glass and 

 spread with a knife, after which it is distributed evenly by 

 going over in all directions with the ink roller. When this has 

 been carefully done, the leaf to be copied is laid on a piece of 

 waste paper and inked by applying the roller once or twice 

 with moderate pressure. This leaves a film of ink on the 

 veins and network of the leaf, and by placing it on a piece of 

 blank paper and applying considerable pressure for a few mo- 

 ments the work is done, and when the leaf is lifted from the 

 paper the impress remains with all its delicate tracery, faith- 

 ful in color and outline to the original. 



To make the ink of proper consistency, add several drops 

 of balsam copaiba to a saltspoonful of ink. In case the leaf 

 sticks, the ink is too thick. 



SKELETONIZING PLANTS. i. By Maceration. Place the leaves 

 in water, and allow them to remain in the same water for from 

 three to four months, until the soft matter decays, and the stem 

 may be taken in the hand, and the refuse shaken away. There 

 remains behind a network or skeleton of the original object, 

 which can be bleached with a little lime. Leaves and pods 

 may both be treated satisfactorily in this manner. The pod o> 

 the ' Jimson weed " or Datura Stramonium is a favorite fo r 

 this purpose. 



2. By Chemicals. Chloride of lime, % lb.; washing soda : 



