48 



GLOSS Any or 



THE HERBARIUM. 



Those who are anxious to make the most of their botanical 

 studies will find it of threat advantajje to gather and pre- 

 serve specimens for reference. A few hints, therefore, on 

 this subject will not be out of place. It will, of course, be 

 an object to collectors to have their si)ecimens exhibit as 

 many of their natural characters as i)Ossible, so that, 

 although dried and pressed, there will be no difficulty in 

 recognizing them; and to this end neatness and care are 

 the first re<]uisites. 



Collecting. 



Specimens should be collected when the plants are in flower, 

 and. if possible, on a dry day, as the flowers are then in 

 better condition than if wot. If the plant i.s small, the 

 whole of it, root and all, should be taken up ; if too 

 large to be treated in this w&y, a flower and one or two 

 of the leaves (radical as well as cauline. if these be 

 different) may be gathered. 



Drjring. 



As man}' of your specimens will be collected at a distance 

 from home, a close tin Vjox. wliich may be slung over 

 the shoulder by a straji, should be provided, in which 

 the plants nuiy be kept fresh, jjarticularly if a few drops 

 of water Ix? sprinkled upon them. Perhaps a better way, 

 however, is to carry a portfolio of convenient size — 

 say 15 inches >)y 10 inches — made of two pieces of stout 

 pasteboard or thin deal, and having a couple of straps 

 with burklf's for fastening it together. Between tlie 

 co%'ers should Iw jilaced slieets of blotting-pai)er or coar.se 

 wrapping-pajKJr, as many as will allow the specimens to 

 be .separated by at least five or six sheets. The advan- 

 tage of the portfolio is, that tlie plants may be placetl 

 betwe«.>n the sheets of blotting-pajier, and subjected 

 to pressure by means of the straps as soon as they are 

 gathenKl. If carried in a box, they should \m trans- 

 ferred to paper as soon as po.ssible. The specimens 

 should be spread out with great care, and the crumpling 

 and doubling of leaves giuirde<l against. The only way 

 to prevent moulding is to pla^e plenty of i>Hi>er Ixnwoen 

 the plants, and chanijp. the jmjter /rrf/iipnth/ ; the fre- 

 quency depending on the amount of moisture contained 

 in the specimens. From t«f days to a fortnight will be 

 found siitlirifut for the thorough drj-ing of almost any 

 plant you are likely to meet with. Having made a jiile 

 of sf>ecimens wTth pa|ier l>ctwe€n them, as directed, they 

 should be placed on a table or floor, covered by a flat 



