.136 COMMON SEAWEEDS. 



fresh water, a bit of alum, some camel-hair pencils, 

 and I use needles, mounted on lucil'er matches, to 

 assist in disentangling the mass. 



Of course we are provided with paper cut into large 

 and small squares ; and as much of the beauty of the 

 specimens depends on the quality of the paper, it 

 should be fine, and at the same time stout, almost as 

 good as drawing paper. 



Row float a piece of weed in fresh water ; if very 

 dirty or sandy, wash it first, and in renewed water 

 float it on a piece of paper supported by your left 

 hand, whilst with your right hand you arrange the 

 plant in a natural manner, using a mounted needle or 

 porcupine-quill, and thinning out the superabundant 

 branches with a fine pointed pair of scissors. "When 

 the specimen is placed as you like it, cautiously raise 

 the paper that the position of the plant be not altered, 

 and let it rest somewhere with sloping inclination, 

 that the moisture may run off whilst other specimens 

 are treated in the same way. 



Do not leave them long thus, for they must be 

 pressed before the paper is dry. 



A convenient travelling press consists of two pieces 

 of deal board about two feet long and one foot wide, 

 a couple of quires of whity-brown paper, and a double 

 strap, such as we use for railway wrappers. Lay 

 blotting paper between the coarser paper, and you 

 can strap them closely, and carry your seaweed very 

 safely in your hand. 



In drying them, you must have old linen or fine 

 muslin, old and soft, to lay upon the weed and prevent 

 its sticking to the upper paper ; but do not leave it 



