PRESSING WILD FLOWERS 123 



sheets in your press, with the folded edge at 

 your left. 



Take a plant from the jar ; dry off. any mois- 

 ture with a clean rag, and place the plant upon 

 the lower page of the folder. If it fits this 

 it should also look well upon the mount. 

 When the press measures more than the 

 mounts, keep a mount at hand and place the 

 plant upon this, so that you may judge of the 

 effect. It is useless to press 20-in. plants for 

 16-in. mounts, and the former are far less 

 likely to be damaged if cut to the right size be- 

 fore pressing than after they are dry and brit- 

 tle. I strongly advise you to have the drying 

 and mounting sheets of equal sizes, for it saves 

 endless time and trouble. 



If a plant is to look well on the mount it 

 must not cover too large a portion of the folder. 

 Do not let the flower come close to the upper 

 edge or the stalk to the lower one. 



When plants are thick and bushy some of 

 their under leaves or branches may be cut 

 away, that is, those springing from the side of 

 the stem nearest to the folder. This must 

 never be done where it is avoidable, and must 



