122 Rhodora | [JuLy 
the eastern States, and is absolutely necessary for any thorough study. 
A more popular book, published in the same year, is Sea Mosses, by 
A. B. Hervey; many of our more conspicuous algae can easily be 
recognized by it, but it does not attempt to give the rarer species. 
In the eighteen years since these two books were published, there has 
been a long list of additions to the marine flora of this region; the 
larger part of the species are insignificant in appearance or quite 
microscopical, but there is also a number of more conspicuous forms. 
These additions will be found in notes published by Professor Farlow 
and by the writer, in the Bulletin of the Torrey Botanical Club. This 
practically completes the list of available publications, except as algae 
are included with other plants in local floras.* 
It seems hardly necessary to give detailed instructions as to collec- 
tion and preparation of specimens, as each of the three authors first 
mentioned, Harvey, Farlow and Hervey, gives these quite fully in the 
works cited. The same information may be found in The Botanical 
Collector's Handbook, by W. W. Bailey; and in Erythea for March, 
1899, Vol. VII, Prof. W. A. Setchell has published a most useful 
paper, especially intended for Californian collectors, but of value in all 
regions. A few concise general notes may, however, not be out of 
place here. 
Collect as perfect specimens as possible; when the plant is found 
growing, retain the “holdfast” by which it is attached. Whenever 
practicable, collect specimens in fruit. Avoid immature, mutilated 
and decaying individuals; though when a plant is new or very rare, 
any specimen is better than none. Mount as soon as possible after 
collecting, and always keep in salt water; many species spoil in a very 
short time, and fresh water is sometimes instant ruin. 
When ready to mount, float out the specimens in some large vessel 
of clean salt water; remove any dirt or foreign bodies; when the 
plant is too densely branched, trim as needed. Let the specimen assume 
its natural form in the water ; if fresh it will do so readily ; slide under 
it a paper of suitable size, lift so that when taken from the water the 
1 Vol. IX, pp. 67 and 69, 1882; Vol. X, p. 55, 1883; Vol. XI, pp. 29 and 130, 
1884; Vol. XVI, p. r, 1889; Vol. XVIII, p. 335, 1891; Vol. XXIII, pp. 1 and 458, 
1896. . 
2 The more important of these are, M. L. Owen, Flora of Nantucket, 1888; 
Dame & Collins, Flora of Middlesex County, Mass., 1888; Rand & Redfield, Flora 
of Mount Desert Island, Maine, 1894. 
