Method of mounting

Mount the leaves with tape or glue. If you use tape only, cut and set aside a supply of narrow strips 1 1/2 to 2 inches long. Arrange the leaf on the paper, and fasten the points and stem in place with tape (see plate 3). Be sure to leave space for the twig and the fruit and the name and uses of the tree.

If you use white glue, apply it to the leaf surface that will adhere to the paper, place the leaf, and gently rub with the hand on a piece of scrap paper placed over the leaf or needles. This pressure assures contact of the leaf or needle with the paper. Remove the piece of paper and throw it away. If a specimen breaks, then use one of the extra samples collected. Finally, fasten the leaf at tips and stem with tape or glued paper strips. Mount the other leaf (if simple) in the same way but with the undersurface showing.

For compound leaves, it is unnecessary to mount two whole leaves, because a leaflet may be turned over to show the undersurface. This should be done when the leaf is put into the press. With long leaves, like those of the walnuts, the leaf stem may be bent in the middle so that the whole leaf can be mounted on the sheet.

Twigs are best mounted with tape (see plate 3); or they may be held on the paper by thread that is sewn through the paper from above and tied beneath.

Large fruits (pine cones, nuts, and the fruit of cucumber) that are round and difficult to mount may be cut in half lengthwise. These can be fastened with glue, shellac, or tape. Nuts can be halved, or cross-sections cut with a fine saw. Fragile fruits may be placed in small transparent enclosures (e.g., sandwich bags) that can be mounted on the paper. For instance, the cones of pines, pods of locusts, and husks and burrs of nut trees should be included. It is good to separate an individual seed and mount it by itself with glue.

[introduction] [the keys] [list of 50 trees] [making a tree collection]

[back to the homepage]