REMARKS ON BOTANY. 133 



GENERAL REMARKS ON BOTANY. 



As we advance towards the equatorial regions, we find that 

 the plants exhibit larger features; so that the paper which we 

 require for an herbarium must be from eighteen to twenty 

 inches long and twelve inches wide. Several planks ought 

 to be procured for pressing-boards ; these should be formed 

 of two thin ones glued together to prevent warping from 

 the damp of the plants in pressing. The thread of the 

 wood ought to run lengthwise in that which is placed next 

 the paper, and transverse on the outer side. A press 

 should be obtained for squeezing them, or weights and stones 

 may be used for that purpose ; others make use of a series 

 of leather straps with buckles. The Botanist should have 

 a book of blotting-paper in his botanical excursions for col- 

 lecting plants, as it is much better for absorbing the moisture 

 of the fresh plant j besides this, a tin botanizing box of from 

 fifteen to eighteen inches in length, and from six to eight inches 

 in breadth : this box is about two inches to two and a half in 

 depth, and curved, that is, the lid is concave and the bottom 

 convex, to each end should be attached a strong wire for pass- 

 ing a strap through, so that it may be carried like a knap- 

 sack ; it ought to be japanned outside to prevent it from wast- 

 ing. A small box of the same shape for carrying in the pocket, 

 will also be found useful for small plants, this may be about 

 seven and a half inches long and five broad. A small trowel, 

 with the blade six niches long and two and a half broad, will 

 be found extremely useful for digging up the roots of plants ; 

 it should be oblong and acutely shaped, as in the following 

 figure : 



Another instrument for procuring the branches of trees, is 

 an indispensable appendage to the botanist. The upper edge 

 of which is sharpened for cutting branches of trees, or speci- 

 mens of the wood from the larger trunks of trees. The lower 



