_ SPECIMENS OF PLANTS, © 33 
of the harder perennial plants willlie much neater in the Her- _ 
barium, if the bark of the principal Stem be slit up with the 
point of a sharp knife, so as to allow the inner woody part to 
be extracted. 
~~ When it is perfectly dry, the usual’ method -is. to fasten it 
down with glue, or paste, or gum water, on the right hand inner 
page of a sheet of large strong writing-paper. It requires some 
dexterity to glue the plant neatly down, so that none of the 
gum or paste may appear to defile: the paper. .Prefs.it gently 
again for a day or two, witha half sheet of blofsom-paper be- 
tween the folds of the writing-paper. When it is quite dry, 
write upon the left hand inner page of the paper, the name of 
the plant; the specific character; the place where, and the 
time when it was found; and any other remarks you think 
proper. Upon the back of the same page, near the fold of the 
paper, write the name of the plant, and then place it in your 
cabinet. A small quantity of finely powdered arsenic, or cor- 
-rosive sublimate, is frequently mixed with the paste or gum- 
water, to prevent the devastations of insects; but the seeds of 
Staves-acre finely powdered, will answer the same purpose, 
without being liable to corrode or to change the colour of the 
‘more delicate plants. A little Alum added to the paste makes 
it keep longer, and a little very coarse brown Sugar dissolved 
in the gum-water, renders it less brittle when dry, Some 
Botanists put the dried plants into the sheets of writing-paper, 
without fastening them down at all, which I think much the 
most useful way: others only fasten them by means of small 
slips of paper, pasted across the stem or branches, and others 
again sew them to the paper with a needle and fine thread. 
Another more expeditious method is to take the plants out - 
of the press, after the first or second day ; let. them remain 
upon the pasteboard; cover them with five or -six leaves of 
blofsom paper, and iron them with a hot smoothing i iron, until 
they are perfectly dry. If the iron be too hot, it will change 
the colours ; but some people, taught by long practice, succeed 
very happily. This is quite the best. ‘method to treat the 
different species of Orchis and aihet slimy euelaginnes 
plants... 2 
I am indebted to 7. ices; Esq. of Bath, for the following 
improved method of drying plants, which, being the i of 
: Vou. I. D 
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