SELBORNIANA. 
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Enough for us that we have the pleasure of following out the skilfully contrived 
Field-Path Rambles (R. E. Taylor & Son, 19, Old Street, E.C.)j which he has 
placed before the public. Attention has frequently been called in these pages to 
the series, so well suited to the needs of Selbornians and all lovers of the country. 
Armed with any of Mr. Miles’s little books, one may ramble all day through an 
absolutely new district without passing a soul, and yet never make a mistake in 
the choice of footpaths, so clearly worded are Mr. Miles’s directions. On the 
present occasion we have to mention series six and seven, the latter of which 
treats of Reigate and its vicinity, and is of the usual price — 6d. ; while the former 
—a double number with a route map— costs is., and covers 100 miles of walking 
round Leith Hill and Dorking. It is unnecessary to remind our readers that 
the finest scenery in the South of England lies about Leith Hilt ; but we can 
assure them that Mr. Miles thoroughly appreciates it, and well knows how to 
guide his disciples to the best points of view. Personally, we thought we knew 
the way from Dorking to Leith Hill well enough ; but under Mr. Miles’s direction 
we have been taught humility and four new routes, one of which led us by a short 
but varied way by Bury Hill, across Logmore Lane, and by a gradual ascent up 
Wotton Common, and all of a sudden placed us within a few feet of the summit 
of the hill in full view of the glorious panorama it commands. Mr. Miles always 
gives full notice as to what paths must be avoided in wet weather and how to 
avoid them, thus rendering the pursuit of his rambles possible during the winter 
season. A. G. 
“The Coming of Autumn” fitly opens the September issue of The Country 
Month by Month, and, like the rest of the volume, is pleasant reading. Prof. 
Boulger quotes a quaint passage from Forster about the marigold, but hardly 
makes it sufficiently clear that the supposed commemoration in its name of the 
Blessed Virgin is purely imaginary. The flowers are coming to an end, but the 
bird-life is as active as ever, and finds, as usual, a sympathetic recorder in Mrs. 
Owen. We notice that the Society for the Protection of Birds receives friendly 
notice in this instalment, which induces us to hope that the Selborne Society may 
presently receive a word of encouragement. 
SELBORNIANA. 
Imitating Autumn Leaves. — F'or many years I have endeavoured to 
preserve the exquisite tints of autumn leaves with but partial success. I have 
now, however, devised a plan by which their fleeting colours are so successfully 
imitated that my friends constantly take the painted leaf for the real one. As it 
may give pleasurable occupation to some of our younger members, I will briefly 
describe the process. 
The materials required are but few : a common slate, some fine drawing paper, 
a cyclostyle* roller, and a bottle of the ink which is sold with it. A small quantity 
of the ink should be placed on the slate, and the roller passed to and fro until it is 
slightly and evenly inked. The leaf should then be placed on a flat hard surface, 
and the roller passed firmly over so as to leave a little ink on the under side of 
the leaf to mark the veins. The leaf should then be reversed, with the ink side 
downwards, on a piece of drawing paper, and the roller firmly passed over it once 
only. The result will ’oe an exquisite faint imprint of the exact shape of the leaf 
with allits veins. After a few minutes it will be fit to be painted in water colours, 
so as to exactly resemble the various tints in the real leaf. The colours should 
be very moist, and rather floated into each other, as in this way one can most 
readily attain the delicate gradations of tone. When finished the leaf should be 
neatly cut out with fine scissors, carefully retaining the notches at the edge, which 
vary so much in different trees, and give character to each species. When such 
painted leaves are gummed into a blank book the effect will be found to be won- 
This kind of roller and the ink can be obtained at any stores. 
