THE PRESERVING OF PLANTS 



113 



149. The collecting of the plants is botanizing. 

 The first requisite is a tin case or vasculum (Fig. 

 115), in which the plants are placed, as collected. 

 The specimens are pressed when the collector 

 arrives home. If the vasculum closes tight, the 



specimens will remain in 

 good condition for sev- 

 eral hours. If they wilt 

 too rapidly they may 

 be lightly sprinkled with 

 water. Upon journeys 

 or long tramps, a por- 

 table press is sometimes 

 used (shown in Fig. 

 115), the pressure being 

 applied by means of 

 straps. The most im- 

 portant point to be con- 

 sidered in collecting 

 plants is to make sure 

 that .the specimen is 

 large enough and good 

 enough to fairly repre- 

 sent the plant from which it is taken. A good 

 specimen is one which is well pressed and which 

 comprises leaves, flowers and fruit ; and a com- 

 plete specimen is one which represents every part 

 of the plant, including the root. 



FIG. 115. 

 Collecting outfit. 



