150 THE PLANT WORLD. 



suitable condition for collecting, a suffacient number of specimens are 

 procured, and put at once into press. A convenient method is to count 

 out twice as many inner sheets as there are sets to be collected, thus 

 being in no danger of losing track of the count while putting away the 

 specimens; place the field number on the lowermost of each pair of 

 papers, arrange the specimens neatly within the papers, and when all 

 are in, strap up the press moderately tight. It is best to have a drier 

 between the specimens, and the stock of unused paper. Care should be 

 taken to select perfect specimens, and representative parts of the plants 

 too large to include whole, and of small plants to gather sufficient to cover 

 the sheet fairly well. It should be remembered that care at this point 

 determines the character of the finished specimen. Immediately upon 

 putting a number in press the notes should be recorded in the notebook. 

 Do not be stingy with the notes, the more information recorded, the 

 better. It not infrequently happens that a suificient number of plants 

 cannot be obtained in one place. In such cases, make a record of the 

 number obtained, and finish out the set later. If there is any dqubt 

 as to the identity of two lots gathered in this way a separate field 

 number should be given. Some go so far as to give a separate field 

 number in all such cases. On returning home the plants are put be- 

 tween driers as soon as convenient. They will keep for a day or two 

 without deterioration, but of course do not dry. Two driers should be 

 placed between each pair of inner sheets. With specimens that give 

 up their moisture easily, three driers can be used to advantage. The 

 pile is built up until all are in press, preferably in one pile. A piece 

 of stout pasteboard is placed at the top and bottom of pile. Pressure 

 is applied by means of two 1^ inch strips about ten feet long, each 

 being placed about one-third the distance from the end. The buckle 

 should be near one end of the pile, or else the latter will be curved by 

 unequal pressure. Specimens that are put into press one day should 

 be changed the following morning. All the thin specimens such as 

 grasses and small herbs will be dry at the second change. More suc- 

 culent plants take longer. Some plants dry so slowly that after the 

 third or fourth change they can be left over for several days without 

 change. When 'the plants come out they are tied up in convenient 

 bundles and put in a dry place. As the upper inner paper of each 

 specimen has now served its purpose these can be taken out before the 

 bundles are tied up, thus making the inner papers go twice as far. In 

 order to save carrying a gi"eat weight of paper into the field it may be 



