103 



I. The Collection of Specimens. 



r 



To many intending collectors the goal of ambition is probably 

 tJie discovery of new species or even new genera, and in a 

 botanically new or little-explored country sucli endeavours 

 will no doubt be crowned with success. The collector 

 will not, however, be able to distinguish between new and 

 known forms, as even for the expert this would hardly be 

 possible. The next impulse would probably be to collect every- 

 thing and everywhere. But it is obvious that this plan, although 

 advantageous in a new country and under favourable circum- 

 stances, will usually be impracticable. In well, or even fairly 

 well-explored regions, such a collector would tend to be doing 

 . again work previously accomplished, and would miss much that is 

 actually within his reach did he but know what to look for, and 

 where to seek it. In other words, he should try to inform himself 

 at the outset as to what is known about the flora of the country 

 which is to form his collecting ground and what may be expected 

 from it. 



The collector working in well-explored countries must not 

 expect discoveries of new forms, but rely on detailed obser- 

 vations concerning distribution and association for which 

 his specimens will form the material to connect them finally with 

 the correct names. Facts of distribution and association may, to 

 a certain extent, be gleaned from any well-annotated set of 

 specimens, but the result will be much more satisfactory if the 

 collecting is done systematically with a view to provide material 

 for the solution of some problem, 



Prom these general considerations arise the following rules or 

 hints concerning the scope and direction of collecting. 



A, — If resident or maJcing a long stay in a country. 

 1. In ivell-e.Tplored countries efforts should be concentrated 



T^ i* ^ ^ tt iT tT rill ^11 I- — m ^^-^ ■ ,-fc *»,-k ^ j,-^ 



matei 



more prominent types of veg 



r\Trvl-»l p-m « nnn ii pr»tpd Wl f h uhl 



Plants connected witli the animal world or linman economy and 



folk-lore may also be studied. 



2. In littlc-lmown districts of otherwise fairly well-explored 

 countries general and exhaustive collectinf? will be of talue, but 

 it is improbable that many discoveries will be made. 



3. In little-explored or unexplored countries extensive col- 

 lecting, including all classes of plants, will be of great imi)ort- 

 nnce, and will almost certainly yield new plants and important 



facts of distribution. 



(a) Tbe country should be reconnoitred in order to ^et a 

 grasp of the general features of the flora, and all the prominent 

 types of vegetation should be collected. 



{h) Then some typical or particularly diversified area or 

 areas should be selected and an endeavour made to exhaust the 

 flora. 



B. — If vioxing hy easy stages and with a fair amount of 



available time. 



4. In well-explored countries work as under 3 will still be 



