298 NATURE-STUDY REVIEW [16:7— Oct., 1920 



flat, smooth surface on which to spread the ink; a slate, a piece of 

 plate glass, or what we have found more practicable, a large square 

 pie tin serves this purpose. Then we need a six-inch rubber roller 

 such as photographers use for mounting prints and this at a photo- 

 graph shop costs twenty-five cents ; a bottle of kerosene to dilute 

 the ink and a bottle of alcohol or benzine or more kerosene to clean 

 the outfit after using, and we have our outfit ready. Sheets of 

 paper, 8)4 by 11, of almost any quality will do although a smooth- 

 surfaced paper is preferable. 



The method of operating is thus. With a stick dip out a little 

 of the printer's ink about as large as two peas, upon the pan, add a 

 few drops of kerosene to thin it. Then with the roller work it over 

 until there is a thin film of ink over the smooth surface. This 

 is an important part of the work. The film should not be so liquid 

 as to run but should be a smooth, firm, thin coat. Take a leaf by 

 the petiole, lay it flat on the inked surface, hold it firm with one 

 finger, and pass the ink roller over it several times until the veins 

 are well inked. Lift the leaf by the petiole, lay it on a clean sheet 

 of paper on a smooth table, place another sheet of paper over it, 

 again place the finger firmly on the petiole so the leaf cannot stir 

 and blur the print, and with the fingers of the other hand, press the 

 paper firmly but gently over the leaf, working out the veins and 

 margins carefully. Often a second or even third impression can be 

 made without reinking the leaf and these will be better than the. 

 first. 



Formerly we used a second clean roller for getting the print by 

 placing the leaf between the sheets of paper, holding it fast by the 

 petiole and rolling it once from base outward with the clean roller, 

 putting plenty of strength into the action. Professor W. W. 

 Gillette of Richmond, Va., who gave us our first lesson in making 

 leaf prints and who taught boys of fourth and fifth grades to make 

 leaf prints which are the best we have ever seen, used a letter press 

 to make the prints, putting in several leaves at a time. 



Dried leaves may be soaked in water for a time and spread out 

 and dried between blotters under pressure and be used to make leaf 

 prints while they are still flexible. However, green leaves or 

 autumn leaves as they fall are the best. The hickories and horse- 

 chestnuts and buckeyes, ash and locusts should be gathered first 

 for these compound leaves soon fall apart. 



