300 OBSERVATIONS ON DRYING PLANTS. 



sheets of paper, on the uppermost of which lay another plant as before, 

 and so on successively, until the whole are disposed of. A few sheets 

 are then laid upon the last, and a board placed over all. 



We may divide plants, viewed with reference to drying, into two 

 classes, the one comprehending those which being thin, soft, and 

 flexible, require little pressure to reduce them to a level, the other 

 including such as being stiff and thick require much pressure. Sup- 

 posing the above plants to have been of the first class, we lay upon 

 the upper board one of the smaller weights. A series of more stub- 

 born specimens being, in like manner, placed between other two 

 boards, we lay one of the larger weights upon them. 



Should more specimens be collected next day, they are disposed 

 of in the same manner ; and thus successively. At the end of two 

 days generally, the plants first laid in are to be taken out, together 

 with the paper about them. They are to be laid in fresh paper, which 

 has been made very dry and hot before a fire, three or four sheets 

 being placed between every two plants, and the whole put between 

 two boards, with a weight over them. The second series is similarly 

 treated next day, and so On. The paper from which the plants have 

 been removed is to be dried for future use. 



There will thus be four sets of plants : two in the first stage of 

 dryine - , and two in the second stage. The plants of the second stage 

 sets should be taken out about two days after they have been deposited, 

 and after dry and hot paper has been put about them, returned to 

 their places. The paper may thus be shifted until the plants be per- 

 fectly dry, when they are finally removed. Each plant is then placed 

 in a sheet of dry paper, and along with it is deposited a slip of paper, 

 on which are written the name of the plant, the place in which it 

 was gathered, the time of gathering, the soil, and such other circum- 

 stances as may tend to elucidate the history of the species. Thus 

 prepared, the plants are packed up in bundles, which gradually en- 

 large their dimensions, or increase in number till the end of the 

 season. 



It frequently happens, notwithstanding all possible precautions, 

 that some plants, such as Orchidacese, fall to pieces in drying, in 

 which case the fragments must be taken care of, so that they may be 

 attached when the specimens are finally arranged. For this purpose 

 procure a quantity of good stout writing or printing paper of large size, 



