236 ^^» Harrison's botanical press. 



II. 



Defcription of a Prefs for prefer ving botanical SuhjeBs; mth an 

 Account of the Succefs.of the Improvtment in the Art of Blajl" 

 ing pointed out b^ Mr. Jess op in this Journal. In a Letter 

 from Mr^, Tho. Harrison. 



To xMr. NICHOLSON. 

 SIR, 



Introduftory JDEING defircus (o make a colIe£lion of the plants which 

 oW. on preierv- grow in the neighbourhood of Kendal, and to preferve them 

 "**'*' * in an herbarium, I was naturally led to a confideration of the 

 difFerent methods, which have been ufed by botanifls, of 

 drying and preferving fpecimens ; but finding none fo com- 

 plete and expeditious as I could wifli, I therefore adopted a 

 plan of my own, which I am perfuaded will be found to an- 

 swer every purpofe that the botanift can require. The real 

 utility which is to be derived by a young botanift from the 

 prefervation of plants, is the power of future examination, and 

 to anfwer the purpofe the natural appearance of each fpeci- 

 men ought to be preferved as calculated to produce thiseffed; 

 for fince the feed-veflels and ftems of plants occupy much 

 more fpace in thicknefs than the leaves, in order to preferve 

 the latter from Ihrivelling, the two former muft generally be 

 bruifed in fuch a manner as totally to preclude any accurate 

 inveftigation afterwards : and this on trial is found to be the 

 cafe : befides, all the plants that happen to be in the prefs at 

 the fame time, however various their texture, are fubjedled 

 to the fame degree of preflure. 

 Remarks on the The plan recommended by T. Velley, Efq. feems equally 

 methods now in exceptionable ; I mean the method of placing the plant when 

 frefh between feveral ftieets of blotting-paper, and ironing it 

 with a large fmooth heater pretty ftrongly warmed, till all the 

 moifture is diffipated. By this method it is evident that the 

 parts of fructification muft be much bruifed : it may preferve 

 the colour of the bloflbms better than any other, but this in 

 the fcience of botany is not very eflfential, at leaft if it was, I 

 believe that no method hitherto difcovered will firf;ceed uni- 

 verfally in arrefting the fading beauty of delicate flowers. 

 The next plan which is given by Dr. Withering, is one ufed 



by 



