116 ELEMENTS OF STRUCTURAL BOTANY. 



plants may be placed oetween the sheets of blottiug 

 paper, and subjected to pressure by means of the straps, 

 as soon as they are gathered. If carried in a box, tliey 

 should be transferred to paper as soon as possible. The 

 specimens should be spread out with great care, and the 

 crumpling and doubling of leaves guarded against. The 

 only way to prevent mouldmg is to place plenty of 

 paper between the plants, and chamie the paper frequently, 

 the frequency depending on the amount of moisture 

 contained in the specimens. From ten days to a fort- 

 night will be found sufficient for the thorough drying 

 of almost any plant you are likely to meet with. Hav- 

 ing made a pile of specimens with paper between them, 

 as directed, they should be placed on a table or floor, 

 covered by a flat board, and subjected to pressure by 

 placing weights on the top ; twenty bricks or so will 

 answer very well. 



When the specimens are thoroughly dry, the next 

 thing is to mount them, and for this purpose you will 

 require sheets of strong white paper ; a good quality of 

 unruled foolscap, or cheap drawing paper, will be suit- 

 able. The most convenient way of attaching the spec- 

 imen to the paper is to take a sheet of the same size as 

 your paper lay the specimen carefully in the centre, 

 wrong side up, and gum it thoroughly with a very soft 

 brush. Then take the paper to which the plant is to 

 be attached, and lay it carefully on the specimen. You 

 can then lift paper and specimen together, and, by 

 pressing liglitly with a soft cloth, ensure complete ad- 

 hesion. To render plants with stout stems additionally 

 secure, make a slit with a penknife through the paper 

 immediately underneath the stem ; then pass a narrow 

 band of paper round the stem, and thrust both ends of 



