PRESSING WILD FLOWERS 137 



of all. Methods must be adapted to individual 

 requirements. Soft fruits such as Black- 

 berries, Jack-in-the-Pulpit and Strawberries 

 should be dried in the press, but the surface 

 surrounding them must be leveled up with 

 blotting-paper and wadding. The pressure 

 should be very slight and the drying-papers 

 frequently changed. If these rules are neg- 

 lected, the result will be little patches of red 

 and black pulp and such things hardly add in- 

 terest or beauty to one's collection! 



The thick clusters of the " Jack's" fruit 

 may be considerably thinned out by removing 

 the under berries that would lie immediately 

 upon the mount. Do not detach too many or 

 the natural effect will be lost. 



Hard fruits, such as the scarlet and crimson 

 Hips and Haws, should be fastened on to cards 

 with a needle and thread and placed in a cool, 

 dry place for several days. The thread will 

 prevent the stem twisting awkwardly as ft 

 dries. When stalk and fruit are hard and stiff 

 they should be cut from their moorings and 

 fastened to a mount with a few touches of glue. 

 While this fixative is drying, the plant should 



