150 THE FLORIST AND 



" I would be glad to see in the "Florist" some instructions about drying 

 and pressing plants and flowers, and preparing them for a Herbarium. 



"J. M.S." 



If we had space we would like to give all the best methods of do- 

 ing this. The simplest way is to provide yourself with two flat 

 boards, of proper size, and a quantity of bibulous paper ; to our 

 knowledge there is none manufactured for the purpose in this coun- 

 try; in England several persons make it. Plaving obtained a speci- 

 men, place it carefully between sheets of unsized white paper, ar- 

 ranging the leaves and flowers so as to show the formation of both 

 to the greatest advantage; place these sheets between folds of other 

 soft paper, in sufficient quantity to preserve the plant from crushing 

 by the boards, and apply pressure by weights placed above — it is 

 thought by some that pressure should be limited at first, but with 

 sufficient paper any amount may be given. The quicker the opera- 

 tion is performed the more perfect will be the specimen, and the 

 colors will be better preserved. By frequent changing of the paper 

 and by great pressure, a plant may be dried in twenty-four hours. 

 A simple press may be made by passing a rope around the boards 

 and twisting a stick in it, after the manner of a tourniquet. In a 

 future number we will give fuller directions on this subject. 



TtfE Gardeners' Chronicle is advocating the growth of the Deodar for 

 timber, A corresponent of that journal says : " It is very certain that 

 Deodar wood from its fineness of grain, strength and durability, is one of 

 the most valuable of the timbers of the Himalayas. 



CALENDAR OF OPERATIONS. 



MAY — -JUNE. 



Flower Garden. — The beds and borders filled with the plants intended 

 for the season's blooming, will still require attention. As fast as these plants 

 in masses grow, they should be pegged down to the soil and encouraged to 

 grow over the whole of the ground. The earth is shaded better by this prac- 

 tice and the plants grow more in proportion. A few plants of many things 

 should be retained in pots, so that any vacancies that may accidentally oc- 



