EXPLORATORY NOTICES FOR MAY. 185 



well as for the Grasses, Ferns, &c., but it is not adapt- 

 ed so well for larger or succulent-stemmed plants. I 

 have found it best, when time pressed, or I had not 

 the means of proceeding exactly secundem art em, when 

 travelling, to lay the specimens I had collected loosely 

 between brown or thick cap-paper, (let blotting-paper 

 be always eschewed.) covered at each end with a piece 

 of card-board, and just sufficiently secured with a 

 cord. I have thus, without much injury, carried spe- 

 cimens for hundreds of miles. Indeed, I have often 

 found old memorandum books that I had neglected 

 for years, and carried loosely in the pocket at the 

 time, to preserve some specimens almost as fresh and 

 good as if but recently gathered ; but in these instan- 

 ces no pressure had been applied to the papers. 



Since the first edition of this volume was printed, I 

 have had opportunities of trying BE]S T T ALL'S Botanical 

 Drying Paper, and I can recommend it as being the 

 best I know for placing plants in during the process 

 of drying, if a sufficient thickness of it can be left 

 between each layer of plants collected. A quantity 

 of it may be conveniently taken by the tourist, se- 

 cured by one or two stout leather straps, buckled 

 between two strong oak boards, the plants collected 

 being placed between thicknesses of the paper, and 

 the strap again tightly applied. This package can be 

 passed with the luggage, by train or otherwise, easily 

 enough without injury, but it is not adapted for the 

 pedestrian traveller. The latter, if collecting to any 

 extent, can however still use this paper, and forward 

 the result of his labours in packages of it. 



From long experience I consider brown or " bag- 

 cap" paper the best to preserve plants in permanently, 



