. BULLETIN OF THE TORREY BoTANICAL CLUB. 
Vol, VI, Nos. 43 & 44.] [New York, July & August, 1878. 
§ 246. Some Rambling Notes on Collecting and Preserving 
_ Herbarium Specimens, 
III. Collecting Specimens.—In the previous article the neces- 
sary outfit for herborizing was considered; in this I propose to offer 
a few hints on collecting. 
Plants may be collected at any time while in flower or fruit. The 
writer has frequently gathered and preserved fine specimens that 
were put into portfolio when dripping with moisture from a rain or 
a heavy dew. In such case, early transferring to press and change © 
of driers is quite necessary. The best time, however, I have found 
is in the morning shortly after the dew has disappeared. The plants 
are then fresher, and when of a sensitive nature, as are some of the 
Leguminose, the Cruciferae and others, the leaves are. less likely to 
curl (for later in the day, if dry and sunshiny, it will be found quite 
difficult to put the specimens into portfolio quick enough to prevent 
the leaves or petals from rolling), the corollas are generally fully 
expanded, and fugacious petals, like those of Helianthemums, are 
more likely to adhere when in press. Of course this does not apply 
to a few plants, as Sélene noctiflora, and some of the Gnotheras, that 
open only at night or in cloudy weather. 
Care should be taken to have the specimens of the proper size,— 
neither too small nor too large,—and consist of all that is necessary 
to make a complete botanical specimen,—flowers, fruit, leaves, stem 
and root when possible. 
In the early part of his course the inexperienced collector is 
inclined to think that a small sprig containing a flower or two with 
a few leaves will answer all purposes as a botanical specimen, 
but later when he comes to identify his plant by the scanty materials 
he has gathered, he finds recognition quite impossible, and that the 
flower is only ove of the component parts of a complete specimen, 
and not always the most important one. Too little attention is 
paid, however, even by older botanists, to the collection of the fruit 
and roots, the former especially, as most specimens (save those of 
herbs where the flowers and fruit are found together) received in 
exchange are wanting in this important requisite. In many genera 
and orders the fruit is the most distinguishing characteristic, as in 
the Potamogetons, the Crucifere, the Umbellifere and the Cyper- 
acez, and is quite indispensable for an absolute determination of 
the plant in hand, while in those rather difficult genera to the young 
beginner, the Asters and Solidagos, and in some others, the lower 
leaves play an important part as scientific characters in distinguish- 
ing species. And again in others it is the root or root-stem; of 
the former, whether it is an annual, biennial or perennial and its 
various shapes; of the latter, the divers forms it assumes, as rhizoma, 
tuber, bulb. Consequently all these parts are important in a her- 
barium specimen, and each and all, when necessary should receive 
due consideration from the botanist when collecting. — 
Endeavor to obtain specimens that exhibit flowers and fruit in 
the same plant, and when this is not practicable, the fruit may fre- 
quently be secured from more advanced specimens at the same time. 
