1 FERNS. 185 



ting-paper and botanist's heavy drying paper are de- 

 sirable'. 



Too many should not be placed together, or over-lap. 

 They should be evenly distributed through a pack of 

 plant blotters, having wood covers, firmly pressed with 

 ■weights, set screws, or buttons. Remove the specimens 

 to dry papers in two days, and it is advisable to change 

 them again before putting away permanent. 



Ferns may be readily colored in various ways. The 

 best method is to paint them with pale-green paint, mixed 

 with refined linseed oil. The ordinary "tube" paint 

 used by artists, is of good quality, and answers the pur- 

 pose well. The sprays should be painted lighter than in 

 nature, as they grow dark in drying. Turpentine may be 

 used to thin the paint, but it gives the ferns a dark and 

 unnatural color. In coloring, place the ferns on a pane 

 of glass, and apply the paint on both sides, with a soft 

 brush. They will require several days to dry, but when 

 once done, they are made more substantial, and have a 

 natural appearance. 



Ferns may be arranged in many ways. The illustration, 

 page 184, shows a pretty design of a fern bracket, which 

 is made as follows: Cut out a thin wood pattern for a back. 

 Fit the back of the fungus evenly to the board by sawing. 

 Nail it firmly in position from the back of the board, and 

 sand it with composition and smalts, and crushed mica 

 rock. Glue a variety of pretty mosses at the junction of the 

 board and fungus. In these, fasten the ferns by sharpen- 

 ing the butt-ends, dipping them in hot glue, and running 

 them into the moss firmly. The back ferns should be the 

 largest, and all should gradually decrease in size in finish- 

 ing up the front, and a few short grasses may be added. 



Ferns may be tastefully arranged in brackets of straw 

 and splints, or simply glued on a pasteboard frame, with 

 moss, grasses, or autumn leaves. They are often used in 

 decorating picture-frames, mantels, alcoves, and doorways. 



