120 .VO;UE?JCLATUTJ"E, 



371. In gathering plants fov this pni-pose, or &pfcimeiis, as they are called, tha 

 smaller and herbaceous plants shonkl be taken up with a portion of the roots, 

 while from larger plants there should be selected a shoot, with complete represent 

 tations of the leaves and fiowersA They may be preserved for several days, with- 

 out withering,, in the tm box, or they may at once be laid between several thick- 

 nesses of the paper, and enclosed in the portable press. Itis always desirable 

 that they be gathered in a dry day ; if not, they should be freed from dampness 

 before being committed to the paper and press.' 



372. In diying the specimens, great care is required, that they may pircserve- 

 well- their natural appearance, form, and color. It is generally recommended 

 that they be carefully spread out, as nearly in their natural position as possible, 

 between 8 or 10 thicknesses of paper, and then submitted to pressure between the 

 boards. The degree of pressure should never T>e such as to crush their parts, and' 

 may be easily regulated by the screw, or by the number and size of the Vv-eights 

 nsed. Cottan batting may be used to equalize the pressure. 



373. J As often as once a day they should be taken from the press, transferred to- 

 fresh and diy i>aper, and returned, until they are tlioroughly dried, when they are 

 ready to be transfen-ed to the cabinet. Tlie true secret of preserving specimens 

 with all their eolore is to extract the moisture from them by pressure in an abuni^ 

 ance of diy, bibulous paper as soon a» po^sibleA 



374. The nest object with the collectoi'jis the arrangement of Ms specimens. 

 Por this purpose, each one is first to be fastened to a sheet of firm white paper, 



•about 10 inches by 1&, either by glue or with loo-ps of paper of the same kind, o? 

 they may be stitched to the paper with a fine needle. The latter mode, if done- 

 skilfully, is preferable. Then let all those specimens whieh belong to the same 

 genus be collected together and placed within a folded sheet of colored paper, 

 with the name of the genus and each species written on the outside. Each sheeJ 

 should also be labelled vrith the names of the plant, the locality, tim.e of gather- 

 ing, habits, &c., 



375. The gciiera^-^re next to be collected together into orders, each order being 

 wrapped or folded 'in a still larger sheet, of a different color from that wliich en- 

 folds the genera, having the name of the order, with a catalogue of its genera or$ 

 the outside. Tluis arranged, the ordei-s are to be laid away upon the shelves of a 

 cabinet, or packed in a ehest. To protect the plants from the attacks of insects, 

 pieces of camphor gum are to be placed among ihem, or a piece of sponge satu- 

 rated with the oil of turpentine. To save them from decay, they should be kep4 

 dry, and well ventilated. 



37C. Fruits and' seeds which are too large to be pressed with the plants, aa-S 

 also truncheons cf vrood^ are to be preserved separately, in a ca,binet. 



