CHAPTER XIX. 



COLLECTING AND PRESERVING. 



I. Collecting and Preserving Plants. 



Collect samples of all parts of the plant, lower and upper, 

 leaves, stem, flowers, fruit, and, in most cases, roots. In 

 small species, those two feet high or less, the whole plant 

 should be taken. Of larger plants, take portions about a foot 

 long. Press the plants between papers or "driers." These 

 driers may be any thick porous paper, as blotting paper or 

 carpet paper, or, for plants which are not succulent or very 

 juicy, newspapers in several thicknesses may be used. It is 

 best to place the specimens in sheets of thin paper grocer's 

 tea-paper is good and place these sheets between the driers. 

 Many specimens can be placed in a pile. On top the pile 

 place a short board and a weight of ten or a dozen pounds. 

 Change the driers every day. The plants are dry when they 

 become brittle and when no moisture can be felt by the fin- 

 gers. Some plants will dry in two or three days while others 

 require as many weeks. If the pressing is properly done the 

 specimens will come out smooth and flat, and the leaves will 

 usually be green, although some plants always turn black in 

 drying. 



Specimens are usually mounted on single sheets of white 

 paper of the stiffness of very heavy writing paper or thin 

 Bristol board. The standard size of sheet is ii^xi6>< 

 inches. The plants may be pasted down permanently and en- 

 tirely to the sheet, or they may be held on by strips of gummed 

 paper. In the former case, Denison's fish glue is the best 



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