42 
are easily preserved by floating them in a large basin of fresh 
water, und introducing under them a leaf of paper, on which 
they are to be extended, and lifted gradually out. After allow- 
ing them to drain for a short time, they may be pressed. 
When opportunities occur for sending, with convenience, 
entire leaves of different kinds, of palms, ferns, &c. they are 
very desirable specimens, also all sorts of seed-vessels, with 
their seeds, particularly those of all such plants as are useful as 
articles of food or commerce. Seed-vessels likely to open in 
drying should be tied up with thread. 
Entire plants, or any portion, as the flower, fruit, &c. may be 
kept for an indefinite period, with their colours completely un- 
changed, by putting them into a bottle containing a saturated 
solution of common salt in water, and corking it tightly up. 
Specimens of useful or ornamental woods are also desirable; 
these should be cut about eight or ten inches long, and, if pos- 
sible, the width of the tree; larger pieces might be chargeable 
with custom-house duty. 
SEEDS 
Should be gathered when very ripe, and then put into separate 
papers, each with a note, indicating, if the plant be a tree or an 
herb, the locality, nature of the soil where it grew, the eleva- 
tion of this soil above the sea, the native name of the plant, 
whether it be used as food, in medicine, or in the arts, and any 
further information that may be considered interesting. 
As there is now an extensive Botanic Garden at Belfast, dona- 
tions of seeds and plants for it are particularly desirable. The 
Seeds of Plants, when gathered fully ripe, require little trouble 
to preserve them in a state for vegetation ; if they are kept dry 
and cool, and wrapped close up, so as to keep them as much 
from the air as possible, it is all that is necessary for the greatest 
number ; some however of the larger kinds which are oily, or 
liable to vegetate, are best preserved in jars or boxes of sand. 
MINERALS AND FOSSILS. 
It is to be observed, that specimens of minerals are of little 
or no value in a museum, unless they have been recently de- 
