48 THREE KINGDOMS. 



memory implicitly concerning the occupations and collec- 

 tions of a day. Field-notes carefully made are often of 

 more value to others than to the person immediately con- 

 cerned. Moreover, the taking of them inculcates a useful 

 lesson of painstaking observation, terse expression, and 

 neatness of style. Nothing should be done in a slovenly 

 way. Sketches, well made, and illustrative either of 

 landscapes or plants, are a commendable addition to such 

 notes. A set of such note-books, kept through a series of 

 years, becomes, indeed, a diary of delightful facts. 

 Throughout life, and in periods of despondency, the 

 records will recall scenes of inexpressible joy. It is well 

 to provide one's self with a pocket-map of the county or 

 region to be visited. On this can be recorded the roads, 

 forests, hills, springs, marshes, etc. The geological for- 

 mation, too, can be put in by colors, and even the favorite 

 haunts of the rarer flowers can be indicated. 



It is surprising how, by this means, a person will 

 acquire a nearly perfect knowledge of the features of a 

 district. If your state or county is a larg^e one, cut up the 

 map into portions, and paste these on cloth. 



If you have an eye to the inner man and creature- 

 comforts, take a drinking-cup and provide a luncheon. In 

 these preliminary directions we have cleared the way 

 for the consideration of the really technical apparatus 

 required. There are two modes of collecting plants, both 

 of which possess certain advantages. We find different 

 collectors wedded to one or the other, and, indeed, pre- 

 pared to do valorous battle for the ojie they have choson. 

 Our own attitude is conservative. Sometin>es we try one 

 plan, sometimes another. It depends somewhat upon 

 the occasion and the environment. Some botanists use 

 only the tin box; others use only the portfolio. We em- 

 ploy either or both as the case demands. The box, or 



