714 



may possibly remain till future seasons, from the great difficulty of at- 

 taining it on the perpendicular cliffs, where it now grows. With re- 

 gard to the Gravesend locality (Phytol. C83), I have several times 

 endeavoured to obtain information of Betsam country-folk — no bad 

 authorities in the case of a plant so well known as the pseony is to 

 most persons ; but my enquiries have not elicited that it has ever been 

 seen within memory in a wild state anywhere in that neighbourhood. 

 Of course, at this distance of time it is impossible to trace old Ge- 

 rarde's " conny-beny," or the grounds of farmer Bradley. — Id. 



354. Note on drying Plants for the herbarium. Much of the dis- 

 cussion on the subject of immersing plants in hot water previously to 

 drying them for the herbarium, appears to have arisen from the indi- 

 viduals who have practised it considering the principle intended for 

 general application. Now four fifths of our native plants require no- 

 thing but care in changing the papers, to preserve both colour and 

 form in the greatest perfection. And of these I have no doubt that 

 the greatest part would be injured, rather than improved, by the hot 

 water; G aleobdolon luteum for instance, (Phytol. 673) : consequently 

 they do not afford a fair test of the principle. It is with plants which 

 defy the ordinary methods, such for example as several of the Rhinan- 

 thacese, that we must have recourse to something more than simply 

 changing the papers ; and the experience of myself and friends shows 

 hot water to be that resource. Mr. Gibson's plan of applying artifi- 

 cial heat (Phytol. 1. c.) is by far the best and speediest method yet 

 made known for drying the generality of plants ; but it will not do 

 for certain species, especially succulent ones, any more than hot wa- 

 ter is required for Asperula or Barbarea, which indeed suffer from its 

 application. Experiment alone will indicate for what particular spe- 

 cies the hot bath is necessary. In reference the remark on p. 677, 1 

 must beg to enquire what is the use of selecting the finest and most 

 perfect specimens for drying, if we are subsequently to dissect and 

 mutilate them, and so have all our work to do over again ? Even if 

 our intention in forming a herbarium were future dissection of the 

 specimens, the hot water cure cannot interfere with their utility for that 

 purpose, because with ordinary care the parts of fructification need 

 not be wetted. In my own herbarium I preserve a perfect specimen 

 to show the plant, and an inferior one, or some fragments, to cut up 

 when I have occasion. Ophrys apifera, which is the only Orchis I 

 have yet dried on the hot water principle, is perfect both in form and 

 colour: the flowers were not immersed. Lathrasa squamaria has de- 



