THE PLOEAL WOBLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 91 



be fully acquainted with them, a plant being no more certainly 

 known by its foliage than a man is by his clothes. Such is the 

 choice to be made of what we gather, and we must choose our time 

 when to gather. Plants gathered in the morning or evening, when 

 the dew is on them, or in the daytime, when it is wet, will not keep. 

 We must choose a dry season, and the driest and hottest time of the 

 day ; and if the least moisture be found on them, recollect they will 

 certainly not keep. 



When they are gathered and brought home, preparations must 

 be made as soon as possible to arrange them in your papers. For 

 this purpose lay down one sheet of grey paper, and upon this half 

 a sheet of white ; then place upon it the plant, taking great care 

 that all the leaves and flowers are well opened, and laid out in their 

 natural situation. If it be a little withered, « ithout being too much 

 so, it will generally spread out better with the fingers and thumb ; 

 but there are some that are rebellious, and that start up on one side 

 whilst being arranged on the other. To prevent this inconvenience, 

 place leads on those parts which you have put in order whilst you 

 are arranging the rest, so that when you have done your SDecimen 

 it will be almost covered with these pieces, which keep it in its 

 proper situation. Next place another half-sheet of white paper upon 

 the plant, pressing it with the hand to keep the plant in its position, 

 bringing the left hand that presses gradually forward, and at the 

 same time taking away the leads with the right. Then put another 

 sheet of grey paper upon the second white paper, pressing it all the 

 while lest it lose its position. Upon the grey paper place another of 

 white, and upon this another plant arranged and covered like the 

 former till you have placed the whole harvest, which ought not to 

 be too large at once, lest your task be too laborious ; and take care 

 that your papers do not contract too much humidity during the 

 drying, which would infallibly spoil the specimens unless you hasten 

 to change the papers, which must be done from time to time till 

 they are perfectly dry. Tour pile of plants and papers thus arranged 

 must be put in "the press, without which the specimens will not be 

 flat and even. Some are for pressing them more, others less ; but 

 experience will teach what is proper, as well as how often the papers 

 are to be changed, without taking unnecessary pains. 



Lastly, when the plants are quite dry, put them into sheets of 

 grey paper, without white ones between, for which there is no 

 occasion, and thus is commenced a herbarium, which will continually 

 increase if there be assiduity on your part, and at length contain a 

 vegetable history of the country. 



Specimens of Ericas, Brunias, and such like delicate-leaved 

 plants, are very apt to lose their leaves in drying, and very often 

 after they are dried. The remedy in this case is to dip the specimen 

 overhead into scalding water, and then to dry them, but not before 

 a fire, proceeding as above. 



Specimens of all plants, excepting succulents, may be dried in a 

 few hours, by placing them between hot sand-bags in a moderately- 

 heated oven. Specimens of all succulent and other mucilaginous 

 plants are very difficult to dry on the above methods, owing to the 



March. 



