T. Kirk. — On the Preparation of Botanical Specimens. 321 



that have received proper attention. Aquatic plants should 

 have the external moisture wiped off before being placed in 

 drying-papers, and should receive their first change within 

 three or four hours of their being placed in the press. 



The drying-papers should be of the same dimensions as 

 the herbarium-sheets ; the best quality is " Bentall's Botani- 

 cal Drying-paper," which is manufactured specially for this 

 purpose, and costs in London 19s. per ream for demy, 18in. by 

 llin. when folded. The well-known chalk-paper is almost 

 equally good, but is more expensive ; both these papers are of 

 high absorbent-power and great durability. Thick blotting- 

 paper is good, but not durable ; old newspapers or any 

 common paper may be used when better kinds cannot be 

 obtained ; the coarse brown paper tarred on one side for pack- 

 ing purposes affords good results. It need scarcely be said 

 that, whatever kind of paper may be used, the sheets should 

 be of uniform size, and when of thin quality several sheets 

 should be folded together to save trouble in changing. 



As already pointed out, if the specimens are placed on thin 

 sheets at first, a great saving of time and labour will be ob- 

 tained, especially with small or flaccid specimens, as the entire 

 sheet can be placed between the drying-papers at once instead 

 of lifting each specimen separately. Each specimen should be 

 carefully laid out in such a way that the branches do not cross 

 each other, and the flowers are properly displayed ; some of 

 the leaves should be arranged with the lower surface upwards. 

 The specimen should be accompanied by a label showing the 

 name of the plant, the locality in which it was grown, the 

 date of collection, and the collector's name. Notes on habit, 

 structure, &c, should be entered in the collector's note-book. 

 On the specimen thus arranged two or more folded drying- 

 papers should be laid, according to the quantity of moisture 

 it contains, and the process must be repeated until all the 

 specimens are disposed of. Care must be taken to divide the 

 pile of specimens into sections by boards the size of the dry- 

 ing-papers, and fin. or iin. in thickness: stout cardboard will 

 answer the purpose very well. Boards of the kind should 

 also be used to separate plants gathered at different times. 

 The pile of specimens must be placed under pressure, which 

 may be applied in various ways. A board may be placed on 

 the top, and the whole weighted with bricks, or bags of sand, 

 or stones, &c ; or cleated boards may be placed at the top and 

 bottom of the pile, and the whole tightened with strong straps 

 and buckles. A press of this kind forms a convenient travel- 

 ling-press ; thick sole-leather in place of the covering-boards 

 increases its portability, but requires an additional strap 

 which should be applied lengthwise. The most convenient 

 form of press, however, is the screw-press. It is sometimes 

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