PRESSING WILD FLOWERS 125 



strapped down for dissection ; while tlie other, 

 though flat-looking and not to be compared 

 with the living, waving trails of the thicket, 

 still gives, by its graceful lines, the idea of a 

 wild rambling plant. Dried plants can never 

 look like pictures of living ones, and it would 

 be absurd to expect this, for after pressure the 

 rounded stems and folding, curving leaves 

 become flat and severe, and until a preserva- 

 tive is discovered, some of the more delicate 

 colors are bound to fade. But with careful ar- 

 rangement and pressing many very lovely 

 specimens may be obtained, and comparatively 

 few plants will change color. 



When the plant is laid out on the drying- 

 paper some of its leaves and flowers will lie 

 sideways and others "face" downwards. 

 Press them in these positions and you will have 

 a far more natural plant than if every part had 

 been arranged "full-face." Many botanists 

 press the roots also, and in small plants like 

 the Anemones and Purple Gerardia this is 

 easily done; but the roots of tall growing 

 species need to be cut off and mounted sepa- 

 rately at the lower side of the main portion (see 



