THE PLANT WORLD. U9 



which I will mention, it is advisable to make collections for exchange 

 in sets or uniform series. Besides the advantage of convenience in 

 exchange is the fact that the plants can be referred to by number, and 

 being distributed in several herbaria, become standard reference 

 specimens. 



For the benefit of beginners who might wish to undertake a col- 

 lection of this kind, I will give a few instructions. Each professional 

 collector has his own method which he has elaborated through expe- 

 rience, and I can only present my plan, which when modified to meet 

 particular conditions, I am sure will be successful. 



We will suppose the usual and probably the most favorable case 

 where the collector is located at a comfortable and convenient station, 

 and works the region in the immediate vicinity. He should be pro- 

 vided with a quantity of the best quality, standard size driers, the 

 amount depending upon the number of sets he proposes to collect. If 

 he does not prepare more than twenty-five sets three thousand sheets 

 will be sufficient. But for rapid and neat work he must not be scrimp- 

 ing w^ith his driers. A good collector will put in at least two hundred 

 specimens a day. Furthermore he should have a stock of inner 

 papers standard size, at least ten thousand sheets. This can be re})len- 

 ished as desired. I assume that the collector understands the methods 

 of putting plants in press, and will only remark that the specimens are 

 arranged between two sheets of common newspaper stock cut the same 

 size as mounting paper (11^ by 16|), the "inner sheets"" mentioned 

 above, and these between the driers which are cut larger (12 by 18). 

 An indispensable tool for the collector is a suitable digger. The one I 

 use, and which I can heartily recommend, is a small mattock with 

 handle about eighteen inches long. The blade is nine inches long in- 

 eluding the eye for the handle which is at one end. It is hand forged, 

 with a hardened tool-steel cutting edge, which is two inches wide and 

 is kept sharp. The shank is stout so that in digging there is no fear 

 of anything breaking when the roots are pried out of the ground. 



For the field press use the light covers with a handle, held together 

 by one or two straps. I use stout pasteboard for one side, and a light 

 wire frame provided with a handle, for the other side, and use a single 

 strap passing twice around the press. The collector takes into the 

 field the press with a sufllcicnt (juantity of inner papers for the trip, 

 and also a suitable notebook. I find it convenient to keep the note- 

 book and a carpenter's pencil in the press. Having found a species in 



