HERACLEUM 



HERBARIUM 



731 



AA. Plant biennial. 

 Sibiricum, Linn. Lvs. scabrous to hirsute, 

 pinnate or deeply pinnatifid; segments lobed or 

 palmately parted, serrate : petals about equal: 

 fr. subrotund-oTal, deeply notched at the apex. 

 Eu., N. Asia. — Keller says this bears yellowish 

 green fls. in July and Aug. \v. M. 



HERB \ IMPIA o£ the old herbalists is Filaijo 



HERBALS. Books on plants, published from 

 the fourteenth to the middle of the eighteenth 

 century, were largely written from the medicinal 

 point of view, and were often called Herbals. 

 The scientific point of view of plant-lsuowleilge 

 is conveniently dated from 1753, when Linnwus 

 published his "Species Plantarura." Of the her- 

 balists, John Gerarde is probably read most at 

 the present time. His style is chalty, quaint 

 and personal. One of the notions accepted by 

 the early herbalists was that of the vegetable 

 lamb, which is pictured in this work under 

 Cibotium (Pig. 470). Another idea that fasci- 

 nated these worthy plant-lovers was that of the 

 barnacle goose tree. Fig. 1040 is reproduced from 

 a book by Duret, 1605, and shows how the fruits 

 that fall upon dry land become "Hying birds," 

 while those that fall into the water become 

 "swimming fishes." Other conceptions of this 

 goose tree are reproduced in the Gardeners' 

 Magazine 35:749 (1S'.)2). Almost every large li- 

 brary possesses a few Herbals, as Matthiolus, 

 Bauhin, L'Obel and Fuehslus. The largest collec- 

 tion of Herbals in America is the one given by 

 the late E. Lewis Sturtevant to the Missouri 

 Botanical Garden at St. Louis. 



HERBARIUM. A collection of dried plants 

 systematically n.iraed and arranged. Every hor- 

 ticulturist who takes delight in his profession 

 should have an Herbarium, as it increases im- 

 mensely tlie value and pleasure of his work. 

 Every amateur, nurseryman and florist is hereby 

 strongly urged to make a collection of dried specimens 

 of the plants in which he is particularly interested. It 

 need not be expensive nor consume nrach time, and the 

 process of drying a plant is simple and easy. An Her- 

 barium is like a reference library, and is equally inval- 

 uable. 



Unfortunately, lovers of cultivated plants rarely care 

 for pressed specimens because they are so lifeless and 

 colorless. Yet there is no surer way for a nurseryman 

 to keep his stock true to name than by making an Her- 

 barium. There are many universities and colleges in 

 America where botanists are glad to verify the names 

 of plants for the sake of the duplicate specimens. This 

 is one of the most practical and useful ways in which 

 botanists and horticulturists can cooperate. Tlie un- 

 necessary waste in time and money caused by confused 

 nomenclature and confused labels is one of the difficul- 

 ties of a large collection of growing plants. 



Even in the largest nursery of hardy plants specimens 

 can be taken by one man in two days in late spring, of 

 everything th.it is in characteristic condition at that 

 time. Three hundred specimens can be secured in two 

 days in our best nurseries. Even after the spring rush 

 is over there is time to get most of the important spring- 

 flowering plants in flower or fruit, and from that time 

 two or three hours a week is enough to keep up with 

 the procession of flowers. Sometimes interest can be 

 aroused in a young student, who will be glad to do all 

 the work for the sake of duplicates. 



Use merchandise tags or acheap substitute in the form 

 of pieces of paper about 7 in. long, 1 in. wide, with a 

 longitudinal slit a little more than 1 in. long near one 

 end. Pass one end of this piece of paper through the 

 slit, and draw it close about the stem of the plant, leav- 

 ing plenty of room for the trade name of the plant, the 

 date, and the color of the flowers. It is very useful 

 also to add the height of the plant, and anything else 

 that is not likely to show in a dried specimen. When a 

 basketful is gathered, place each specimen between a 



folded newspaper page. Each newspaper page, with its 

 inclosed specimen, is then placed between "driers." 

 These are large pieces of felt paper, a kind which is 

 even more absorbent than blotting paper. A hundred 

 driers cost a dollar. Put a board on top of each pile and 

 weight it with stones. Shift the driers daily for a 

 week or so, and then at longer intervals, until the speci- 

 mens are wholly dry. A better way of drying plants, 

 particularly in a small way, is to use a frame press 

 (to be purchased of dealers in botanists' supplies), pro- 

 vided with cords and straps for tightening the bundle 

 and giving the requisite pressure. Specimens are dis- 

 couraging looking objects while in press, but when they 

 are carefully prepared and properly mounted on stan- 

 dard size paper (IIK xl6'i^ in.), with neat labels giving 

 the name, locality, habitat, date and collector, they not 

 only become attractive but are of great scientific value. 

 The finer and more artistic quality in Herbarium 

 work differs only in the degree of care bestowed at 

 every stage of the process. Some of our elementary 

 botanies give full instructions for making an Herba- 

 rium. See, also, the "Horticulturist's Rule Book." Her- 

 baria are notably poor in cultivated plants. For the 

 critical study of garden plants, an Herbarium is a ne- 

 cessity. The sheets are kept in heavy raanila paper 

 folders or covers, each genus by itself. The regulation 

 size for this genus cover when folded is 11^:4 xl6J-2 in. 

 Lay the sheets flat (Pig. 1041). Take pains to select 

 specimens which show flowers, leaves and fruits; and 

 herbs should show the roots. Walter Deane. 



HERBfiRTIA (Wm. Herbert, 1778-1847, Dean of Man- 

 chester, distinguished botanist, author of "Amaryliida- 

 cefe," and ardent lover of bulbs). Iriddcete. Seven 

 species of American bulbous plants, with fugitive blue 

 or lilac fls. borne in summer. One species is procur- 

 able through Dutch growers. It grows less than a foot 

 high. The bulbs may be started in coldframes. The 

 genus is distinguished by the complete absence of a 



