This could be kept by one branch of the family with but little trouble,
if all, when they found anything interesting, would but send it on to the
keeper of the book. Such a book, when filled, would be extremely
interesting to be handed down as an heirloom from one generation to
another.
Has it never occurred to you, that as one by one our friends and
relatives pass away, but little is remembered of their past lives and his-
tories.
The keeping of such family registers would bring before the minds of
the survivors of a family the events of deepest interest in their family's
history — events that would point great lessons, and prepare the feet of
the traveler still journeying through life, to tread more securely ; to
beware the rough places trod by his ancestors, and perhaps serve as an
incentive to climb still higher. The leaves could be interspersed with
family pictures, sketches and souvenirs of the family history.
SEA-WEED SPECIMENS.
PREPARING AND MOUNTING THEM.
In order to preserve anything of their natural beauty, great care is
requisite. The specimens must be taken from the water, or from the
beach where the tide may have left them, as fresh as possible, before
they have been dashed about much by the waves ; or water-soaked, by
repeated wetting and drying ; or eaten into holes by shrimps and small
Crustacea of the shore. The water should be gently, but firmly,
squeezed from them, and they should then be wrapped in cloths pro-
vided for the purpose. In this state they may be carried home, where
they may immediately be spread, or if desirable, taken out and dried, in
which state they will keep for a long time for future treatment.
When they are to be spread, they must be placed in a somewhat deep
dish, half full of water, in which they can be thoroughly cleared of sand
and all adhering substances, and prepared for spreading. They are
then to be transferred to a shallow plate large enough to spread them
in, the stems disentangled, and the whole plant placed in the position
which best displays its peculiar structure or its points of interest. It is
best to use salt water for these purposes, if it can be had, since fresh
water sometimes has an injurious effect upon them. If, however,
salt water is not at hand, the fresh will answer for all ordinary
demands. Some of the most delicate algae are said to be not only
injured, but broken up and dissolved by it; but none of the ordinary
species have their beauty in any degree impaired by being spread in
fresh water, as is proven by long experience.
PREPARING AND MOUNTING THEM. 333
Page 294
Presented as published in 1886. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
This could be kept by one branch of the family with but little trouble, if all, when they found anything interesting, would but send it on to the keeper of the book. Such a book, when filled, would be extremely interesting to be handed down as an heirloom from one generation to another.
Has it never occurred to you, that as one by one our friends and relatives pass away, but little is remembered of their past lives and histories.
The keeping of such family registers would bring before the minds of the survivors of a family the events of deepest interest in their family's history — events that would point great lessons, and prepare the feet of the traveler still journeying through life, to tread more securely ; to beware the rough places trod by his ancestors, and perhaps serve as an incentive to climb still higher. The leaves could be interspersed with family pictures, sketches and souvenirs of the family history.
SEA-WEED SPECIMENS.
PREPARING AND MOUNTING THEM.
In order to preserve anything of their natural beauty, great care is requisite. The specimens must be taken from the water, or from the beach where the tide may have left them, as fresh as possible, before they have been dashed about much by the waves ; or water-soaked, by repeated wetting and drying ; or eaten into holes by shrimps and small Crustacea of the shore. The water should be gently, but firmly, squeezed from them, and they should then be wrapped in cloths provided for the purpose. In this state they may be carried home, where they may immediately be spread, or if desirable, taken out and dried, in which state they will keep for a long time for future treatment.
When they are to be spread, they must be placed in a somewhat deep dish, half full of water, in which they can be thoroughly cleared of sand and all adhering substances, and prepared for spreading. They are then to be transferred to a shallow plate large enough to spread them in, the stems disentangled, and the whole plant placed in the position which best displays its peculiar structure or its points of interest. It is best to use salt water for these purposes, if it can be had, since fresh water sometimes has an injurious effect upon them. If, however, salt water is not at hand, the fresh will answer for all ordinary demands. Some of the most delicate algae are said to be not only injured, but broken up and dissolved by it; but none of the ordinary species have their beauty in any degree impaired by being spread in fresh water, as is proven by long experience.
PREPARING AND MOUNTING THEM. 333