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regarding the screw-press as a tempnrary travelling measure reserveri onlv for transporting materiał from the growing site to wherevcr it can be transferred into a morę permancnt piCSS. Once these mixed assets are understood, the disillusioned begirutcr can dismiss early dismai results and start again with grenter confidence.

Absorbent papers

There are seeeral different choices that can be madę of absorbent papers for storage. Blotting paper can be nur-cha sod from stationery departments in a variety of shades and. whenabook pressis being used, il is worth invesling in the thickest quality. Sheets measuring aboutlOtó X 5 inches (2fi0 x 120mm) are a convenicnt sizc for medium and large bcoks because the end; will protrude beyond the pagcs and serve as a marker. Smali picees, on Ihe olher hand, in a large hook can be difficult to locate. For darity, 1 prefer to storę brightly colourcd materiał against a wbite background, and pale orwhite pieces on a coloureri paper, so that any flaws, such as broken cdgcs, will stand out dearly.

To reduce expense, plain lining paper purchased from decorating deparlments can he used in płace of blotting paper and, in emergcncies, for cxamplc when presented with an unexpecled bunch of flowers, plain wriring nr typing paper can be used for immediate pressing, although it is advisable (o transfer the materiał to a morę absorbent paper a: the first opportunity. Proeiding the paper i$ plain and dean it will be servicea-ble, but remember. never use printed paper. The inks will discolour the materia!.

Soft domestic tissue is a useful drying agent bul the materia! shouid not be placed against lolds or perfor-ations. With bulky materiał, tissue can be used as pad-ding between the plants and the papers, and the finał results are often worth the extra irouble of cushiuning in tliis manner. Only use plain toilet paper for this pur-pose, htnvever; thick kitchen tissue is idea! fora further purpose.

Most household lissues have a patiem embossed on the surfacc. This lact had escaped my notkę unii] one day when I opened a se: of Hydrangea flnrets and found that each petal was stamped with a partem of tiny dots. These were rernoved to a press rescrved lor oddinents and I did not hotber to look a: them until many months Jater when I was experimenting wilii figures dressed in period costume. The petals then pro-ved perfcct for representing the textured surfaco of fa'o-ric so that while kitchen paper is totally unsuitable for presemng natura] forma, it can be run to use it for enibossing different petal surfares.