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I'Vj 



The Plant WorlD'^ 



A MONTHLY JOURNAL OF POPULAR BOTANY. 



7(1 

 10 ZOO 



Auoda 



VOL. III. OCTOBER 1900. N6.''^d 



di bloit 



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[Bib ioa 



NOTES FOR THE BEGINNER IN THE STUDY OF MOSSES. 



By F. H. Knowlton. 7 g^i bna 



OSSES never form a very conspicuous element in the floiW6f A^f 

 locality, yet they usually are quite abundant, and even^a little 

 study is sufficient to reveal the fact that they are 'ob!ffe'6t^''6f 

 exceptional interest. Their small size and their supposed' dlMculty 

 dou])tless deters many from undertaking their study, but a:^'bs^ili''[ittdr 

 of fact any one with a little patience may become familiar with'^t'fe^^t 

 the common and more conspicuous forms in his locality. 'Therfe sfci'ei, 

 of course, difficult and obscure genera among the mosses, just a^*ffi^'e 

 are among the flowering plants, but the beginner will'sbon Ifelarh'tD 

 avoid these as he does Carex; Panicum, Axter, Erigei^oi^^^W'aM^jk^^ 

 etc., until his experience qualities him to take them up. ^o "isdmnn b 



In the first place mosses are found almost any wherfe^^^i^fi-diil-lille 

 tropics to the high north, and from the level of the sea^to'th^f'MiiiEtiils 

 of lofty mountains (over 20,000 feet in the Himalaya^');' ''WhilWfe^ 

 mainly delight in moist shaded situations, they are "fotttt#=itl'k 'gl^^ai 

 variety of places, as exposed rocks, tree-trunks and on tHe ^¥tV¥iWll'J''lh 

 collecting them it is only necessary to tear away cus'lJl5on^i|ib^l''ffeltc'hi6s 

 that are seen to be in fruit. They may be placed ^iii okt^ fenWlij^S; 

 paper bags, or even loose in the collecting case oiMbaskctJ."' Tlieyit*^'- 

 quire no pressing, or at most only very slight pref^isurd,' and^tJit'y'itt'fi 

 short time. Some moss-collectors, however, prefer "tC(<^pk'(jQ'''them 

 under light pressure for a day. The beginner had beint li9G^H)r¥l5' ^-bsh 

 si)eoimens, yet dried material can be prepared by slightly hioistenin*^ 

 it. • : '/ijuylloy 



The student should l)c provided with some 'sort' df a' nH<ir6ycoplf.' 



