FIELD AND FOREST. 1 69 



"Come up to papa's room," said Sadie, " he has a nice large table 

 that we can use." 



"And no ribbons and laces on it to get injured," I remarked. 



"May I accompany you?" said Mr. Fleming. " I always like to 

 be learning something, even if I never expect to use the knowledge 

 myself." 



" Oh ! certainly." 



Sadie led the way, procuring a saucer from the dining room as we 

 passed into the house, and in a few minutes we were gathered around 

 the table. The saucer was half filled with sea-water, some cards hunted 

 up, and the mosses spread out upon the table. Throwing a few of 

 the specimens into a tumbler of water that their forms could be more 

 readily seen, I selected a pretty pink specimen of Ceramium and set 

 to work. It was first carefully floated in the saucer, and all the little 

 fronds parted from each other, so as to lie perfectly flat. A card was 

 placed carefully beneath it, and gently raised with the plant upon it, 

 allowing the water to run off at the corners. With a pin the fronds 

 were again arranged, enough of the water remaining to render the 

 work easily performed. When a refractory branchlet would not come 

 into position gracefully, a little more water carefully dropped upon 

 the spot would master the difficulty at once. After the specimen was 

 carefully placed in position upon the card, it was laid aside, and an- 

 other put through the same process, and so on until there were six or 

 eight. 



" See how the cards are beginning to curl up," said Lizzie King. 



" Yes, we must press them, and now we need an old book and a 

 linen cloth." 



"Will a magazine answer?" asked Sadie, "though I shall have to 

 get a handkerchief, if you won't tear it, for I have nothing else here." 



" They will answer very well," I replied. 



The cards were then placed in the book and nicely arranged upon 

 one page. " I think I can make the handkerchief answer for two 

 lots," I remarked, and proceeded to dampen it slightly, after which 

 it was spread out over the cards in such a manner that only half of the 

 surface was utilized. 



"What is the handkerchief for?" Mr. Fleming asked. "Why not 



mply close the book?" 



