54 



THE FERN BULLETIN 



veloped as large trees with secondary thickening by a 

 cortical meristem. 



The Gymmospermae which follows the ferns, is 

 made to include the Pteridospermae or fern-like seed- 

 plants, the Cycadeae or sago palms, the ginkgo and our 

 well-known cone-bearing trees. 



HOW TO MAKE BLUE PRINT PAPER FOR 

 FERN PRINTS. 



By James Shepard. 



First prepare two separate solutions in separate 

 bottles. For solution No. 1 dissolve one ounce of red 

 prussiate of potash in eight ounces of water. The 

 potash is not quickly soluble and it will dissolve quicker 

 if pulverized. For solution No. 2 dissolve one ounce 

 and eighty grains of ammonia-citrate of iron in eight 

 ounces of water. The iron dissolves quickly. Always 

 use the same bottle for the same solution. The solu- 

 tion will keep only a short time when mixed, but the 

 potash alone will keep good indefinitely and the iron 

 keeps fairly well except in warm weather. Both solu- 

 tions better be kept in the dark. 



The most important of all is to get good paper for 

 coating with the solutions. The paper must be smooth 

 firm and hard or sized so that the solution or coating 

 will stay on the surface and not strike in. Good results 

 are obtained with a paper called Mikado Bond, also 

 with "Parson's Defundum, Linen Ledger." These 

 names may be seen as "water marks" by looking at the 

 paper before a light. 



For coating the paper, make a solution consisting 

 of an equal part of solutions Nos. 1 and 2. Then with 

 a sponge or brush coat the entire surface of the paper 



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