LEAF-PRINTS AND THE LIKE 549 



press, care must be taken not to put too great pressure on the specimens 

 at first, or they will be spoiled for printing. An old book is the best for 

 drying the samples to be used. Secure printers' or proof ink, and a 

 small leather dabber ; work a bit of ink about the size of a pea on a 

 small piece of slate or glass, with the dabber, until it is perfectly smooth. 

 A drop or two of linseed oil will assist the operation. Then give the 

 leaf a thin coating, being careful to spread it equally ; now lay the 

 leaf ink downwards on a sheet of paper and place it between the leaves 

 of an old book, which must then be subjected to a moderate pressure 

 in a copying-press, or passed between the rollers of a wringing-machine. 

 Impressions can be taken with greater rapidity by laying the book on 

 the floor and standing upon it for a few seconds. Soft book-paper is 

 the best. Previous to using it, place a few sheets between damp blot- 

 ting-paper, which causes it to take the ink still more readily. At first 

 you will find that you lay on too much ink. If the impression is too 

 black, use the leaf again. If the midrib of the leaf is too thick, it 

 must be shaved down with a sharp knife. 



3. Leaf-prints (Engle). — 1. A small ink-roller, such as printers use 

 for inking type. 2. A quantity of printers' green ink. 3. A pane of 

 stout window-glass (the larger the better) fastened securely to an evenly 

 planed board twice the size of the glass. A small quantity of the ink 

 is put on the glass and spread with a knife, after which it is distributed 

 evenly by going over in all directions with the ink-roller. When this 

 has been carefully done, the leaf to be copied is laid on a piece of waste 

 paper and inked by applying the roller once or twice with moderate 

 pressure. This leaves a film of ink on the veins and network of the 

 leaf, and by placing it on a piece of blank paper and applying con- 

 siderable pressure for a few moments the work is done, and when the 

 leaf is lifted from the paper, the impress remains with all its delicate 

 tracerv, faithful in color and outline to the original. 



To make the ink of proper consistency, add several drops of 

 balsam copaiba to a salt-spoonful of ink. If the leaf sticks, the ink is 

 too thick. 



Skeletonizing Plants. — 1. By maceration. Place the leaves in 

 water, and allow them to remain in the same water for from three 

 to four months, until the soft matter decays, and the stem may be taken 

 in the hand and the refuse shaken away. There remains behind a 

 network or skeleton of the original object, which can be bleached with 



