226 
radiate around one or more central points during the trip, yet I have 
made many extended excursions and always found it practicable. 
The chest is portable and not so heavy as a large box of usual pat- 
tern, and in travelling, if desirable, the small box can generally be 
carried inside the chest. Such a tin chest keeps plants fresh and 
handsome a long time, and permits a better arrangement and easier 
handling of contents. 
The portfolio, 18 by 12 inches, usual size, is subject to some var- 
lation in its arrangement. Some collectors prefer simply two pieces 
of dinder’s boards covered with enamel cloth and merely fastened 
together with a strong cord or strap. This filled with specimen 
paper is ready for the excursion. Simple and well-adapted to field- 
work, is the verdict in its favor. After several years use I have 
found one made something after the following pattern at all times 
give excellent satisfaction, and it has some advantages not found in 
the other, though costing a trifle more. It is made of two rather 
thick pieces of binders board, covered like the first, each having a 
handle like a carpet bag for carrying. One of the sides has a stiff- 
ish bottom interior apron to keep the papers from slipping, and both 
of the sides are fastened together at bottom with two or three small 
buckle straps that can be let out when the portfolio is filling up. 
Similar straps are in front and one on each side, but these are sel- 
dom used, and instead there are a couple of straps attached which go 
around the whole portfolio, so that small or heavy pressure can be 
given as desired. By using more driers and changing, I can pre- 
serve plants very finely in the portfolio when travelling,—but this is 
a secondary consideration, the main use of the portfolio being to col- 
lect for home press, and for this purpose not much pressure is 
required, merely sufficient being demanded to hold the specimens 
snug and not allow undue shrivelling. 
The portfolio should be stocked with a sufficient quantity of thin 
unsized paper,—folded sheets; tea-paper will answer, but it is not 
very good economy to use sheets so much smaller than portfolio, for 
of small plants a sheet will not hold so many specimens, and besides 
such small sheets finally bring the plants too much into the middle 
of the pile when pressing, making it too rounding to press evenly 
and well. It is better to have specimen (I will call them by that 
name) sheets of nearly the size of the portfolio, and driers 18 by 
12inches. I prefer a poorish quality of printing paper. The folded 
sheets are 11 by 17 inches, and this allows for shoving a little, and 
keeps the edges from getting curled and torn. 11 by 16 is a good 
size. It costs. $2.25 to $2.50 a ream, according to quality, at paper 
ware-house, and usually comes double the size required, but it is 
easily cut and folded, each ream giving 960 folded sheets. This is 
as cheap, notwithstanding the difference in size, as tea-paper which 
costs about 75 cents a ream—a ream of this having only 320 sheets. 
I have used also rather largely for specimen sheets thin manilla 
paper. It is excellent for coarse, rough plants, as it is stronger than 
white paper, lasts longer, and gives very nearly as good results. 
I insist strongly upon the importance of using specimen paper in 
pressing. Do not attempt to get along without it. Many plants, as 
