THE PLANT WOKLD 65 



no mention of it in Professor Bailey's book. Sometimes I carry noth- 

 ing else, since specimens wrapped in it after being sprinkled keep as 

 fresh as in tin. If both of the boxes become full and more space is 

 needed, I take out a sheet of the oiled paper, empty the contents of 

 one box on it, wrap and tie with t^vine, and proceed with my collecting. 

 Sometimes the paper is used for wrapping a set of oak, pine, or any- 

 thing else wath firm leaves, or for rolling up full length a set of some 

 coarse grass or sedge. In fact, the uses to which oiled paper may be 

 put are almost too numerous to mention. 



The bottle of water is for sprinkling, which I consider of prime 

 importance. I staii with one or two thicknesses of wet paper at the 

 bottom of each box, and sometimes put more at top. When specimens 

 are put in, I sprinkle them more or less, according to their nature and 

 condition. This prevents any wilting in the box, and freshens up most 

 plants which may droop in a time of drouth or under a midday sun; 

 but it does not re\dve plants mth milky juice, and specimens mth roots 

 are much slower in reviving than cuttings. Sprinkling also softens 

 dead and dry basal leaves which would otherwise be crushed in the 

 press. With woody specimens sprinkhng should be avoided, as it 

 tends to the disarticulation of their leaves. I detest wilted specimens, 

 and would not add a single one to the thousands that are sent out 

 yearly. 



A portfolio I never use, but for plants with fugacious flowers or 

 sensitive leaves, sometimes use a hand-press with binders boards for 

 covers, binding the whole tightly with stout cord. There are objections 

 to the habitual use of a portfolio or hand-press besides those before 

 mentioned, except quite near home, and there it will not do in a coun- 

 try where there are ticks, and flies and red-bugs. On a long jaunt the 

 pressing of specimens takes up too much time, and they are not hkely 

 to be put in as carefully as at home. The objections in windy or 

 showery weather are obvious. After making a collection of plants, one 

 may find much better specimens, and wish to substitute them for the 

 first lot, but one will hardly throw out specimens from the portfolio. 

 I would here observe that my collecting is almost entirely in large sets, 

 dozens or scores of sheets of a kind, and that therefore my methods 

 are somewhat different from what they would be if only single speci- 

 mens were collected. 



Wlien traveling in a wagon or buggy, some additional articles are 

 carried, in particular, a nest of two or three rectangular tin boxes, the 

 largest measuring 19 by 12^ by 9 inches. They are painted outside 

 and inside with maroon carriage paint. A rubber blanket is used 

 mainly, cloth side up, for protecting the boxes from the sun. When 

 travehng by rail, my principal mode of conveyance nowadays, two 



