Vol. II. No. 5.) BULLETIN OF THE TORREY BOTANICAL CLUB, [New York, May, 1871, 
30. Herbarium Suggestions—No. 2. Cases for specimens.—Fire-proot 
apartments and cases fixed to the walls are usually attainable only 
by Colleges and other public institutions ; although, to their shame 
be it said, they are often too penurious to provide such necessary 
protection to invaluable collections, that, once destroyed, could 
never be replaced. 
The amateur botanist must be content with humbler accommo- 
dations. In ordering the cases to contain his collection, he has to 
determine the material of which they are to be made, their external 
dimensions, the number and size of the compartments, ete. ; bearing 
in mind that they should not be so large and unwieldy that they 
cannot readily be moved if necessity requires ; that they should be 
of such a shape that others may be added to their number as his 
collection increases ; and that the compartments should be within 
oes reach of the hand and properly adapted to the size of his 
sheets. 
After trying cases of different forms and sizes, my own experience ; 
leads me to recommend the following dimensions, which are parti- 
cularly adapted to the genus-covers previously suggested, Viz. : 
/2/ 18>< 26 inches, but which will answer for sheets smaller in either 
_¢ direction by about an inch. ; 
Material.—Black walnut externally, one inch in thickness and — 
well-seasoned. Internally, pine or other light wood. : 
External dimensions.—Width, four feet, six inches. Height, three 
feet, seven and a half inches. ‘ Depth, twenty-one inches. 
Internal arrangement.—Depth in the clear, niaeteen inches. 
Four series of compartments, side to side, of twelve each ; forty- 
eight compartments to each case ——- : ‘ 
. Each compartment twelve and six-tenths inches wide, and three 
inches high. 
Doors.—Two in number, meeting in the centre ; each three feet, 
five and a half inches high by two feet, two and a half inches wide, 
and panelled. . 
It will be a great convenience to have each shelf cut out at its 
centre in a semi-lunar form, so as to facilitate raising the sheets — 
above it between the fingers. 
If two of these cases be placed one upon the other, the upper 
compartments of the higher one will still be within reach by ste 
ping upon an ordinary chair. Any greater height requiring the 
use of a step ladder is better avoided, for obvious reasons. | ae 
The height, above recommended, of each compartment, viz., thr 
inches, is less than that usually adopted in large herbaria, in which 
five inches are about the common standard ; but for herbaria of 
moderate size, I think the former measurement preferable, to avoid 
crowding a number of small natural families together. York 
A case like the above will cost, at the present time, mn ‘aged 
_ City, about forty-five dollars, but can doubtless be made Sohne. a 
in the country. About five dollars will be saved by — J aed ve 
Ci mata = i, Golesiod this a. clas ca 
31. Viola rostrata, Pursh.—We recently detectea ec 
_ & rocky glen among the hills back of South Orange, - ~ se Ss 
