The Mail-Bag

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22350, 22 February 1936, Page 30 (Supplement)

The Mail-Bag

,1 ' OLIVE HYDE. Yes, I received the Christmas card, Olive, and thought it was beautifully done. It still hangs on the wall in my office. I am glad you are doing well with your sketches. RUTH HILDEA. —As you have no doubt noted we use very little members' work in our pages now, but your " Eventide " was so well done that I will find a corner for it. And that is the very best form of criticism, isn't it? JOAN SCHWARZ.—I am glad you still take sMch an interest; in the page, Joan, but am sorry I could not make i#se of the poem, Y tor reason mentioned above. AGNES WINSKELL.—CaII by all means, and I will be very glad to see you. GLADYS WILSON.—We will have to arrange a special competition, I can see! Am '•' sorry you thought the nature one too hard, but some of the prize-winners were much younger than yourself, so you see it is alwavs worth while to try! GRACE FINNEL—No, I don't think you aro wasting your time by any means. Your story was distinctly good, although the thema was not very original. JESSIE ADCOCK.—Awards are not made for " highly commendeds," save in special cases, Jessie, or when the items are afterward printed. I was so glad to hear of my dear frjond and will certainly call whenever I have thp opportunity. .. MIM MAIILMAN, C. STOCKER and others. —The, only way to join is to fill out an enrolment form when one is printed, and ■end it in. .... We regret that items from the following W«ro not cruito good enough to print:— ( Joyce Broadbent. Tlaelma Pascoe, Margaret IfiKrW* Leo ?/ s Edmonds, Juno Wicks on and floaa Bps worth. ■ " r

HOW TO PRESERVE FERNS

Dear Miss Morton, — I have had the good fortune lately to come and live in the vicinity of a beautiful New Zealand bush. I was gathering some flowers and ferns the other day and it struck me as a good idea that I should mako a collection of native' plants and ferns. As I have had no experience as to this sort of work I naturally began to look for information as to the- preserving and mounting of them. None of my friends seemed to know much about the procedure, so I thought maybe you would be willing to help me. I thought perhaps, if you you could not help me, I could secure help through the Herald Circle. Hoping I have not taken too great a liberty, I remain, your loving penfriend, Joy Keene, c.o. Cashmore Bros., Private Bag, Putaruru. Will some of our readers kindly supply this information?— Editor. j I