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To Preserve Plants

Lay over one of the boards two or three sheets of the paper described in the last receipt. On the uppermost sheet spread out the specimen to bath, and afterwards mounted in balsam in the usual way. (See No. 6180.) 6180. Το Mount Microscopic Objects in Canada Balsam. Warm the glass slips, &c., to a temperature just below the boiling heat of water. If there is any doubt of the balsam penetrating all the interstices and readily adhering to the specimens, it will be preserved, unfolding its parts so as to give be well to pour a few drops of clear turpenit as natural an appearance as possible, laying tine upon the specimens, which will greatly out the leaves and flowers with particular facilitate the taking of the balsam; the latcare. Over the specimen thus disposed of ter, however, must not be used until the turplace several sheets of paper; on the upper- pentine has nearly evaporated. The moment most sheet spread out another specimen, and when the balsam is to be added with the best so proceed till all the plants intended to be effect can only be known by experience. preserved are laid down; and having put over Clear old Canada balsam is the best suited for the whole some more sheets of paper, place a these purposes. When used it must also be board over them with the weights upon it, heated to a temperature just below boiling which may be a number of clean bricks, if water, and then poured upon the object, prciron or lead weights cannot conveniently be viously arranged upon a slip of glass. The procured. As some plants are delicate and top slip of glass, which is usually smaller and flexible, and others comparatively thick and thinner than the under one, is now to be placed hard, the former class will require less weight upon it; one end of each slip being brought to be placed over them, and the latter con- into contact first, and then the other alsiderably more. lowed to fall upon it. By this means no air- 6178. To Preserve the Color and bubbles will be enclosed. The exact quantity Shape of Plants when Drying. To pre- of balsam must be learned by practice. Of serve the color of flowers when drying, the two faults, namely, too much or too little, the greatest care is required in changing the former is to be preferred. Be careful not to papers every second day, which papers ought press the glasses together too hard, otherwise, on te removal of the pressure, the air will has been covered over (which must always be enter between the glasses, and the preparation done with a woolen rug in winter) repeat over will be spoilt. Having thus mounted the ob- several times in the same tone the sentence ject, it must be slowly dried in a warm situa- you wish him to learn. He may not appear tion. This will take 1 or 2 days; after which to notice at first, but some day, quite unexthe slide is to be cleaned by scraping off the pectedly, he will repeat the sentence exactly surplus balsam with a strip of plate glass. in the same tone that he has heard it. He Finally, wipe it clean, using first a linen rag should at once be rewarded with a bit of moistened with turpentine, and then a piece sugar, or fruit, or any little dainty that he is of dry clean leather. fond of. They are very quick at understand-