PRESSING WILD FLOWERS 135 



warm air, it hastens the drying very much. 

 One change of driers is usually all that is re- 

 quired and that more for arranging misplaced 

 parts of the plants than anything else. This 

 method, however, loses much of its effective- 

 ness in wet weather or in a damp place, unless 

 artificial heat can be had. 



Directly the plants are dry they should be 

 removed from the press and not be allowed to 

 remain where moisture from fresh, damp 

 plants will soak into them. Place them in a 

 drawer or box in their folders and mount as 

 soon as possible. (They should not lie loose 

 and unmounted for more than four days.) 

 Only one plant must lie in each folder so that 

 no two touch, for dried plants are exceedingly 

 brittle and easily chipped. 



So far the directions have dealt only with 

 the pressing of the plant in flower ; but as each 

 species is incomplete without its fruit, these 

 must be gathered and pressed in their seasons. 

 Some plants "go to seed" very quickly, and 

 many show buds, flowers and fruit upon the 

 same spray. Others do not mature for several 

 months, and some become various colors in 



