(575 



prevent their shrivelling. The best specimens of Ophrys apifera we have ever seen, 

 were placed in a hook, where they remained, in a warm room, unnoticed and forgotten, 

 until chance again brought them to light, perfectly dry, and with the delicate pink hue 

 of the perianth beautifully preserved. — Ed.'] 



338. Note on the Formation of a Herbarium. I observed your 

 correspondent's enquiry, regarding the formation of a herbarium, on 

 the wrapper of the March Phytologist, and Mr. King's mode in reply 

 to it in the May number (Phytol. 585). The principal objection which is 

 attached to the latter, in my opinion, is, that it does not present suffi- 

 cient facilities for the progressive enlargement of the collection ; for 

 if it is not completed before the arrangement is commenced, blank pa- 

 ges of the " guard book " must be left in different places for such ad- 

 ditions; and these cannot be calculated with any degree of certainty, 

 provided the collector aims at anything like an extensive herbarium, 

 besides having an unfinished appearance, and so many blank leaves 

 being very inconvenient for reference. Mr. K.'s method is an excel- 

 lent one when arranging a herbarium to which no additions are to be 

 made, as in local herbaria, &c. The plan which I have adopted in 

 arranging a rather extensive collection is the following. In all the 

 best herbaria the specimens are glned to the paper ; that this is far 

 preferable to securing them by slips or threads, as practised by some, 

 does not, I think, admit of a doubt ; besides making the specimens 

 more easy of reference, by facilitating their turning over, it is more 

 expeditiously accomplished, and the constant breaking up of the 

 slips is obviated ; besides, there are many plants which cannot be 

 well attached by that means, such as the leaves of Atropa Belladonna, 

 the very compound ones of many Umbelliferae, &c., where, if the 

 slips are applied in sufficient number to fasten the specimen fairly to 

 the paper, both the beauty and character of it are greatly diminished j 

 then again the fruit of grasses, Carices, Compositae, the petals of ro- 

 ses, and other species bearing fugacious flowers, are almost sure to 

 be eventually lost. Under all these circumstances, I think it will be 

 evident that fastening them in this manner is much superior to the 

 other method — by slips of paper : thin ylue should always be used ; 

 never gum or paste, as these are apt to turn mouldy, and also, after a 

 time, to give way ; it should be carefully ajjplied with a pretty large 

 and soft brush, and immediately committed to the press and paper 

 used for drying plants, to remain there until thoroughly dry : the 

 paper T use is large printing paper, thick and strong, about seventeen 

 by nine and a half inches : I have some of the half sheets cut in two, 

 and others in four ; the folio size being intended for such plants as 

 the Rumices, most ferns, grasses, Carices, &c. ; the quarto for those 



