DIRECTIONS FOR COLLECTING PLANTS. 



33 



folders containing the plants, and, if the plant is very fleshy, three 

 or four driers may be used to advantage. 



Wlren the corrugated pieces of strawboard previously referred to 

 are used, only one drier should be placed between it and the folder 

 containing the specbnen (fig. 3). The straps should then be adjusted 

 around each end of 

 the press and pulled 

 up as tight as practi- 

 cable without crush- 

 ing the plants. Sub- 

 sequent <lrying and 

 contraction of the 

 plants may release 

 the tension of the 

 straps and this should 

 be readjusted once or 

 twice durmg the first 

 day or two. The 

 press full of plants 

 should be kept in a 

 dry place, and, when 

 corrugated boards are 

 not used, the driers 

 should be changed 

 every day for the 

 first three or four 

 days, and then every 

 other day until the 

 plants are dry. Cor- 

 rugated boards are 

 not of much value m 

 damp weather unless 

 artificial heat is used 

 for drying the plants. 

 The damp driers 

 when removed from 

 the press may be 

 dried in the sun or 

 near a stove. Wlien 

 the corrugated boards are used and the press is placed in a dry sunny 

 situation, or if artificial heat is used, the driers need not be changed 

 at all. The specunens will be thoroughly dry in two to four days. 



Artificial drying. — On extended field trips much difficulty is often 

 experienced in drymg the plants durmg damp or rainy weather. To 



ICir. 126] 



Fig. 5.— a folding camp stove set up and a plant press suspended 

 above it for artificial drying. 



