HOW TO DRY PLANTS. 271 



The papers should be changed several times once a 

 day, and then at longer intervals, until the specimens are 

 quite dry, when they should be removed from the press. 

 If fresh specimens be placed in the press, while others 



FIG. 207. Ventilator. 



are in process of drying, they must be carefully separated 

 by pasteboard or by a thick layer of paper. The length 

 of time which specimens ought to remain in the press 

 varies with their nature, whether dry or succulent, and 

 with the kind and quantity of paper used. A good and 

 cheap paper for pressing plants (17 ins. by n ins.) is sold 

 by wholesale stationers at about 17^. per ream. Com- 

 mon stout brown paper, of the same size, which answers 

 very well, costs about 14-r. per ream. It may be cut to 

 any size, but, generally, it should not be less than sixteen 

 or eighteen inches long by ten inches wide. Practice 

 will soon suggest many little useful expedients in drying 

 plants which it is needless should be detailed here. 



The dried specimens should always be accurately 

 labelled with the locality, name of finder, name of the 

 plant, and any other details which may be thought 

 desirable. They may either be kept loose in sheets 

 of paper, or (and necessarily, if intended for use in a 

 school, or for frequent consultation) mounted upon sheets 

 of stout cartridge paper of a larger size than foolscap, 

 which may be obtained ready cut (i6 ins. by 10 ins.), at 

 a cost of about 2os. to 24^. per ream. A ream consists 

 of 960 half-sheets, sufficient for as many specimens. 



The specimens should be fastened to the Herbarium 



