1 904 J Nature Study — No. 15. 95 



to know what is a good specimen, as a sheet will apparently only 

 take a plant of a certain size. If the plant is a small one, the 

 whole of it should be taken, the roots being carefully separated 

 from the soil so as to injure them as little as possible. If flowers 

 and fruit can be obtained on the same specimen, so much the 

 better ; but usually it is necessary to collect a plant when it is in 

 full flower, and then when the fruit is nearly or quite full grown. 

 In order to get the whole of a large plant on a sheet, it may be 

 bent either once or twice, in order to do it. It is much better to 

 do this than to lose the roots or root leaves, the latter especially 

 being sometimes necessary in identifying specimens. If the stem or 

 root of a plant is thick, it may be cut down its centre, leaving one 

 side intact. Specimens of trees and shrubs may be made of branches 

 a little smaller than the sheet, the important point being to get the 

 whole of the flower cluster, if possible, and one or more well de- 

 veloped leaves. When a plant is laid on the piece of newspaper in 

 the press, the temptation is to spread the leaves out carefully to 

 prevent their creasing. This is a great mistake and many a fine 

 specimen has been spoiled in this way. Some plants will stand 

 such treatment, but many will not. As a rule, the most satis- 

 factory way to do, is to lay the plant on the newspaper, placing 

 the leaves or flowers so that the specimen will look fairly sym- 

 metrical and then without trying to take out all the creases in the 

 leaves, put on the filter paper or blotting paper and press the 

 specimen with the hand or between the boards if there is only one 

 plant to put in. The next day, when the plant has wilted, some 

 of the creases can be readily smoothed out; but, after the plant is 

 pressed, these are not noticed nearly as much as when fresh; and, 

 indeed, they sometimes look better, as when the under side of the 

 leaves show here and there, it makes a pleasing contrast, and it is 

 important also at times to show the under side of the leaf as well 

 as the upper side. Some of the more delicate ferns may be dried 

 with advantage between two pieces of newspaper, the drier being 

 put on top of the newspaper. This avoids disturbing the specimen 

 when changing the driers, as the upper piece of newspaper need 

 not be removed until the plant is dry. The specimen when once 

 laid on the newspaper should not be removed from it until it is 

 dry. When a plant is wilted and not dry, it is very difficult and 



