LESSON 34.] HOW TO COLLECT SPECIMENS. 199 



578. The orders of the remaining classes are founded on various 

 considerations, some on the nature of the fruit, others on the number 

 and position of the stamens. But there is no need to enumerate 

 them here, nor farther to illustrate the Linnaaan Artificial Classifi- 

 cation. For as a system it has gone entirely out of use ; and as a 

 Key to the Natural Orders it is not so convenient, nor by any moans 

 so certain, as a proper Artificial Key, prepared for the purpose, such 

 as we have been using in the preceding Lessons. 



LESSON XXXIV. 



HOW TO COLLECT SPECIMENS AND MAKE AN HERBARIUM. 



579. For Collecting Specimens the needful things are a large knife, 

 strong enough to be used for digging up bulbs, small rootstocks, 

 and the like, as well as for cutting woody branches ; and a botanical 

 box, or a portfolio, for holding specimens which are to be carried to 

 any distance. 



580. It is well to have both. The botanical box is most useful 

 for holding specimens which are to be examined fresh. It is made 

 of tin, in shape like a candle-box, only flatter, or the smaller sizes 

 like an English sandwich-case ; the lid opening for nearly the 

 whole length of one side of the box. Any portable tin box of con- 

 venient size, and capable of holding specimens a foot or fifteen inches 

 long, will answer the purpose. The box should shut close, so that 

 the specimens may not wilt : then it will keep leafy branches and 

 most flowers perfectly fresh for a day or two, especially if slightly 

 moistened. 



581. The portfolio should be a pretty strong one, from a foot to 

 twenty inches long, and from nine to eleven inches wide, and fasten- 

 ing with tape, or (which is better) by a leathern strap and buckle at 

 the side. It should contain a quantity of sheets of thin and smooth, 

 unsized paper ; the poorest printing-paper and grocers' tea-paper 

 are very good for the purpose. The specimens as soon as gathered 

 are to be separately laid in a folded sheet, and kept under moderate 

 pressure in the closed portfolio. 



