

After color notes and photo- 

 graphs have been made of the plants 

 necessary for a certain group, plas- 

 ter molds are made of the leaves 

 and flowers. These molds are best 

 prepared from fresh specimens, but 

 are obtainable also from specimens 

 preserved in formaldehyde. 



The methods which have been 

 worked out in the Department of 

 Preparation of the American Muse- 

 um all strive for artistic realism of 

 detail, and while the spectator's 

 interest centers in the birds or other 

 natural history specimens for whose 

 proper exhibition the group has 

 been assembled, the accessories also 

 claim appreciative notice. The suc- 

 cessful reproduction in wax of the 

 various plant forms is accomplished 

 by persistent experiment, for each 

 new object is in some degree an 

 individual problem. Some of the 

 methods employed, and in many 

 eases evolved by the wax workers 

 in the progress of their work, are 

 explained by the accompanying 

 series of photographs which even 

 without the explanatory notes would 

 give a comprehensive idea of many 

 of the processes. 



LEAF-MAKING 



An apprentice wax worker is 



first taught leaf-making, the simplest 

 part of the work. Photo- 

 graphs from the growing 

 plant are made in the field 



for later guidance. Then in the 



laboratory of the Museum, after the branches which are to be used 



11 



Plaster 

 Molds 



WHITE AZALEA AND BIRCH OF THE 

 BULLFROG GROUP 



