REPORT OF THE BOTANIST. 81 



imperfect a state that the desired information cannot be given. 

 Additions to the herbarium are constantly being made of even 

 ordinary plants, for the purpose of exchange, &c. , and when not 

 of further use to the sender specimens sent are often added to the 

 herbarium, and it is desirable to have them suitable for the purpose. 



PERFECT SPECIMENS. 



Not every plant can be recognized at sight even by botanists; but 

 any plant which has been described and named can be identified if 

 perfect specimens are furnished. In the case of new plants, which 

 are still occasionally found, it is especially important to have good 

 specimens, in order that they may be classified and named. 



Sometimes perfect specimens cannot be obtained at the time infor- 

 mation is wanted. In such cases whatever can be had may be sent 

 and may prove sufficient, but as full a description as possible should 

 be given of the parts not obtainable. 



A perfect specimen includes all parts of the plant or samples of all 

 parts, though some parts are more important in identification than 

 others. The flower is the part usually most essential; any other part 

 can better be wanting than this, and in most cases this is furnished. 

 With all plants, however, the fruit is also important, and many cannot 

 be determined without it. Dry fruits require less care in preparation 

 than flowers, are less likely to be injured, .and are more easily exam- 

 ined. Notwithstanding these facts, the specimens received at the 

 herbarium from both botanists and others are much more frequently 

 defective in the fruits than in the flowers. The leaves are always im- 

 portant and are seldom omitted, but inmany herbs the radical leaves, 

 or those from the base of the stem, differ in form from the others, 

 and these are not always furnished. 



In some plants certain parts are more important for identification 

 than the same parts in other plants. With herbs it is important to 

 know whether they are annual, biennial, or perennial. To determine 

 this requires the root as well as stem. If this is not furnished, the 

 duration of the plant should be stated. With sedges it is essential to 

 have the full-grown fruit, though desirable to have the flowers also. 

 The habit of growth in sedges, whether singly or in tufts, is a dis- 

 tinctive character, which the specimens should show. With grasses 

 it will usually be sufficient to gather specimens soon after flowering, 

 though if some be in flower and others ripe it is better. The difficulty 

 with fully-ripe grasses is the liability of the seeds and chaff to scatter. 

 The rooting portions of grasses should also be furnished, as this is 

 especially important in determining their agricultural value. 



PREPARATION OF SPECIMENS. 



It is not necessary to have living specimens for identification. Prop- 

 erly dried plants are nearly as good. They can be more easily and 

 safely transported, and may be examined at any time. If dried 

 quickly under pressure, in the manner of herbarium specimens, they 

 retain essentially their original shape, something of their color, ancl 

 do not become brittle, as when dried in the open air. 



In drying, the plants should be placed between folds of absorbent 



paper (newspaper will answer) and subjected to a pressure of 35 to 50 



pounds, according to nature of the specimens and the amount under 



pressure. As the papers become damp the plants should be removed 



6 AG— '86 



