ON COLLECTING PLANTS IN FOREIGN COUNTRIES. ' 



they are pressed to destroy life, and thus accelerate the process 

 of drying. 



Plants with very fine, but rigid leaves as the Fir tribe and the 

 heaths, and some with compound winged leaves, to prevent 

 their leaves falling off, or their parts separating, may either be 

 treated in the same manner, or dried in very hot paper, or by 

 means of a hot iron. 



In many cases, especially in warm climates, the traveller will 

 find the process accelerated by exposing the parcel (hung up and 

 properly secured) to the open air when the weather is favourable, 

 and the circulation of air through it will be promoted if the sheets 

 on which the specimens are laid be placed alternately back 

 and edge. In tropical countries he will find it necessary to 

 shift his specimens, at least once a day, and by changing them 

 into hot paper, and crowding such specimens as are dry, he will 

 be enabled to form a considerable collection in small compass, 

 and in a very short time. Four or five shiftings will generally be 

 sufficient to complete the process, which is ascertained by the 

 stiffness of the stems and leaves, and by the specimens not shrink- 

 ing when removed. They should then be placed between dry 

 papers, and formed into parcels of moderate thickness, and 

 either packed in boxes, or well secured as parcels covered with 

 oil- cloth. 



Palms having their fructification and leaves very large, can 

 hardly be subjected to pressure ; a few flowers should be pressed, 

 and the whole cluster o'f flowers and fruit, as well as a leaf, may 

 be simply dried in the air, and afterwards packed in boxes for 

 transportation. 



The greater number of Cryptogamic plants may be dried in 

 the common way, mosses that grow in tufts, being separated by 

 the hand. But both mosses and lichens, as they can at any fu- 

 ture time be expanded by damping, may be dried by the traveller 

 without pressure and put up either, each species separately or 

 several together, in small canvas or paper bags, carefully marking 

 the place of growth and the date when gathered. 



If the fruits of plants are of a small size so as to be preserved 

 in a herbarium, they should be gathered with the leaves and 

 branches, as arc the flowers ; if of a large size they should be 

 kept separate. Dry fruits demand on care, except that those 

 which split into valves, should be tied round with a little pack 

 thread. Pulps and fruits are only to be preserved in spirits, or 



