preserving flowers and leaves

[Janice M. Glime]

> Dear plant-edders,
>   I have just been asked how to preserve leaves ith their colors, and it
> occurred to me it would also be very useful to me to preserve summer
> flowers with their shapes and colors to use for teaching off-season.  I
> know about the method where the flowers are put in a bed of sand and all
> the air spaces filled with sand.  These are then baked to dry them.  But,
> how long and at what temperature?  Do these then keep in ambient
> conditions, or must they be sealed so they cannot absorb moisture on damp
> days?  Will this method work just as well with leaves?
>   Thanks for any help.  
> Janice
> ***********************************
>  Janice M. Glime, Professor  
>  Department of Biological Sciences
>  Michigan Technological University
>  Houghton, MI 49931-1295
>  jmglime at mtu.edu
>  906-487-2546
>  FAX 906-487-3167 
> ***********************************
> 
>