THE AMERICAN BOTANIST 67 



more cxi)ecliti()n.s wc cxi)ect to make to see other plants which 

 we now regard as fully as attracti\c! 



PREPARING SUCCULENT PLANTS FOR RAPID 



DRYING 



By Dr. X. iM. Grikr. 



Ol'CCULF.NT plants such as species of Cactus, ScJiiiii and 

 ^^ others do not readily respond to the ordinary methods of 

 pressing and drying in preparation for herbarium specimens. 

 One method of hastening the dessication has been to apply 

 pressure to the specimen with a hot iron, a i)rocess which is 

 laborious and frequently requires a disproptionate amount of 

 time. Another is to immerse the plant in hot water. l)ut as a 

 result the specimens may turn dark and in moist climates are 

 apt to beconic mould}- unless special precautions are taken. 

 Finally, where the si)ecimen will permit such, botanists 

 remo\e the surface which would be invisible in the mounted 

 specimen and scoop out the water retaining tissue, after which 

 pressing and drying is somewhat facilitated. 



All of these methods, however, have their disaihantages. 

 and at the suggestion of Dr. (). E. Jennings, Curator of 

 Botany. Carnegie Museum, I have endeavored to obtain more 

 quicklv and conveniently through chemical agencies, the ef- 

 fects upon plants of this type secured by the methixls of kill- 

 ing previously indicated, which result of course in the loss 

 of turgidity and death of the water retaining tissue. Speci- 

 mens treated chemically in the way to be described, have not 

 onlv dried and pressed more quickly, but have been pronounc- 



