| | | |  | |  | | | | | LEAF PRINTS : These may be made in a number of ways.
1. Wax mounting: Press fresh-picked colored leaves be-tween two sheets of heavy wax paper, using a warm iron, then mount in a scrapbook with tape or glue.
2. Crayon print: Place a section of newspaper or a maga-zine on a work area to give a soft surface. Lay the leaf on this with the underside (vein side) u Over this place thin drawing paper, hold carefully, and color the leaf area solidly with the side or flat end of a soft crayon, choosing green or other autumn leaf colors. Make all strokes go in the same direction. Cut out along the leaf outline and mount in a scrapbook.
3. Ink print: Cut a piece of felt the size of the largest leaf on hand. Place felt on a board or glass and carefully pour on some ink until well-moistened. Place leaf on this, vein-side down, cover with heavy paper and run a hand or roller over it carefully. Then lift the leaf, being very careful not to smear, place it on plain paper, and again roll or press. Be sure to permit thorough drying. If ink printing is well done, it is the best type for a scrapbook because it shows veining so clearly. Tubes of printer’s ink from a stationery store are best for this, but not necessary. Green is the best color.
4. Clay print: For this, use a perfect, wide, attractive leaf such as maple. Use a permanent type ( 11) of clay (from stationery store or hobby shop) that needs no kiln-drying for a lasting print. Roll out a piece of clay u-inch thick and at least as large as the leaf to be cast. Lay the leaf on the clay, vein-side down, and roll carefully with rolling pin or dowel stick, then cut out the outline of the leaf with a knife or a paper clip opened out. Carefully curl the edges of the clay to resemble a real leaf, and then place r9lls of clay under the curled edges to hold in position while drying. Cover with a damp cloth to permit even drying. When thoroughly dry
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leaves, twigs, seeds, can be made. Or each tree may be taken individually with everything pertaining to it displayed on one card.
Make cards of equal size from grocery-store cartons; around 8 by 10 inches is a satisfactory size. Sketch a picture of the tree in one corner, or cut one from a book and paste down. Sketch the blossom if possible. Then, to the same piece of cardboard, cement a sample of wood, a twig, a leaf, seeds and seed pods, cones, etc. Label with the name of the tree, tell where found, give uses.
To study trees, learn to recognize different types by the following: leaves, twigs, way of branching, size, place of growth, fruits, blossoms, berries, nuts or cones, bark.
Learn the uses of trees: for man, as food, fuel, building material, paper, or other products; for animals, as food or shelter (beavers, for example, use trees for food and shelter); and for plants, as shelter or soil conditioner. Make sketches of leaves, tree products, and the trees themselves, for the tree scrapbook.
See “Nature Crafts,” 167, for things to do with leaves, bark, etc.
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