THE BOTANICAL OUTFIT 29 



unknown to the collector and there is no dan- 

 ger of exterminating them. Do all in your 

 power to prevent the wholesale destruction of 

 plant life so common among a certain class of 

 amateur botanists. 



An old cooking tablespoon makes a good 

 substitute for the trowel, and it is lighter and 

 smaller to carry. 



4. Old Newspapers. These have many pos- 

 sible uses for plant collectors, but their chief 

 service in the field is in bringing home water- 

 plants. Most of these wither very quickly if 

 put into a basket like other plants, but if first 

 wrapped in three or four thicknesses of damp- 

 ened newspaper, they will reach home, even 

 after many hours, in an only slightly wilted 

 condition in which the leaves are often more 

 easily handled and less given to sticking to- 

 gether than when perfectly fresh. They can 

 be restored to entire freshness by floating in 

 a bowl of water. 



5. A well illustrated Flora. This is a most 

 important item and little can be done without 

 it. If a Flora is to be of much value to an 

 amateur it must have a liberal number of 



