CHAPTER XVIII. 

 THE SCHOOL HERBARIUM. 



234. Character of the Herbarium. An herbarium containing repre- 

 sentatives of the most interesting plants in the region of the school will 

 be found useful in many ways. It would be well to attempt to obtain 

 the complete flora of the region, but first of all those plants and parts of 

 plants should be collected which possess a special interest. To take a 

 single illustration, the different species of violets growing in the region 

 should be represented as being among the most cherished of our spring 

 flowering plants, and as affording, in their differences and similarities, a 

 good idea of what is meant by species. Those plants and plant parts 

 should be represented in the herbarium which best show the different 

 methods of securing cross fertilization, of scattering seeds and fruits ; 

 different habits of climbing, various modes of protection against too 

 rapid transpiration, or against mechanical injuries. 



Plants of widely different habitats should be represented, such as 

 those growing in dry places, in moist soil, in wet places, and in water. 

 It is better to have each kind of plant as completely represented as 

 possible, the plant in flower being accompanied with fruits, seeds, and 

 seedlings. It is readily perceived that an herbarium which is thus re- 

 plete with information about the life and ways of plants has a high 

 educational value. Now that amateur photography has become so gen- 

 eral it would probably not be difficult to have the herbarium accom- 

 panied with photographs of plants in their natural habitat. A map of 

 the region might also be prepared with the habitat of the different plants 

 indicated thereon. 



Those students who are interested in making private collections 

 should be encouraged to do it, but it is perhaps best not to require indi- 

 vidual collections of students as an organic part of the course ; partly 

 for the reason that a large part of such work is merely mechanical and 

 therefore requires time that could be more profitably spent in studying 

 plants as living beings. The few students who would cherish such col- 

 lections and profit by them would willingly undertake their preparation 

 as extra work. 



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