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If specimens of as good quality, and in as large quantity, in the same 
time, can be dried this way as the other, then it certainly is a great 
improvement in preparing our herbarium specimens, and it would do 
much towards making collections popular among botanical students, 
as the labor in drying is undoubtedly less than half. Unfortunately 
such merits in workmanship cannot at present be fully conceded. 
However, this press ought to prove a great boon to those botanists 
desirous of making a collection of dried. plants, and yet having very 
little time in which to do it, and particularly to that class alluded to 
in a former article, who put their specimens in one of the old kind of 
presses and then give themselves no further trouble. One of 
these wire-presses, if used, could not fail to improve their specimens 
greatly, although the necessity of bringing the press inside at the 
approach of night or a storm might, perhaps, be to them an uncon- 
querable objection. 
To Prof. A. Wood belongs the credit of first calling the attention 
of American botanists to this method of drying plants by evapora- 
tion. For some time, however, the wire-press has been in use in 
some parts of Europe. Whether Prof. Wood borrowed the idea from 
the European botanists, or whether to him belongs the merit of the 
original invention, the writer is not prepared to say. At all events, 
he published, over twenty years ago, in one of his text-books, a 
description of this method of drying plants by evaporation by means 
of a wire-press hung in the openair. In an article in the BULLETIN 
of March, 1872, he again refers to the subject, claiming for this 
method a great improvement over the old process. By request of 
an eminent European botanist, this article was republished in BuL- 
LETIN for April, 1877. As Prof, W. is a distinguished champion of 
this method, I shall quote his description of the press from his 
“Botanist and Florist.” . “The drying-press, to be most efficient 
and convenient, should consist of a dozen quires of unsized paper, 
at least 11x14 inches folio; two sheets of wire-gauze (same size) as 
covers, stiffened by folded edges; and three or four leather straps, 
a yard in length, with buckles. When in use, suspend this press in 
the wind and sunshine; or, in rainy weather, by the fire.” 
In the article referred to, Prof. Wood speaks somewhat enthusi- 
astically of the advantages attained: “It dries by evaporation rather 
than absorption and thus makes available all the sources of heat, © 
whether natural or artificial. It requires comparatively but little 
paper—less than half the amount needed in the old process ; hence 
it is portable, and serves the double purpose of portfolio and press. 
It requires no changing of specimens and papers, no drying of damp 
and mildewed sheets. After one or two days the specimens will be 
found thoroughly cured, and as bright in colors as is possible by any 
other known method. To the travelling collector this form of press 
is invaluable. With it so light is his labor in drying his specimens 
that it occasions him little, if any, delay, and so light his luggage 
that a single donkey will suffice in lieu of half a dozen for its trans. 
portation. With this simple press the writer, during a single year, 
cured more than three thousand specimens, in a protracted journey 
of about fifteen hundred miles.” | a 
