230 PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. [aNNO I698 



provement in the history of nature ; whicli, though she opens daily such mines 

 and treasures, yet is never Hke to be exhausted. The art of calcography has 

 given to these studies a new sort of life and perspicuity ; its beauty and graces 

 have drawn many illustrious persons abroad, into a kind of emulation who 

 should excel in this noble and most useful ornament ; what the English want in 

 this part, they have made up in the critical methods in their discoveries of non- 

 descript species, and in their judicious references to the synonomous names of 

 various writers, by which confusion and multiplicity have been very much cor- 

 rected. The authors of this garden have here described and elegantly figured 

 above 100 several plants, with the illustrations of many additional synonyma, 

 not mentioned by the curious publishers. 



On preserving Specimens of Flowers, Fruit, &c. By Sir Roh. Southwell, F.R.S. 



N° 237, p. 42. 

 1 . To preserve Flowers in a Booh that may retain their Colours. — Prepare two 

 plates of iron, as large or larger than the specimens. These plates must be so 

 thick as not to bend, be very smooth on one side, and have holes for screws 

 in each corner, to screw them close. Take the flowers, leaves, &c. when per- 

 fectly ripe, and in their true colours ; spread them on a brown paper, with the 

 leaves as distinct as you can ; and if the flowers be large, more paper must be 

 laid under them ; and if thick, you may pare away the one half, as also of the 

 stalk, so as to make it lie almost flat ; and some distinct leaves may be separated 

 and taken out, as a by store, to be afterwards stuck in, and complete the flower. 

 Then lay over the whole more brown paper, and put these between the iron- 

 plates, then screw them close, and put the whole into an oven for two hours, 

 just as the bread is drawn. After which, take out the flowers ; then take aqua- 

 fortis, and aquavitae, or brandy, in equal quantity, mixed together, and with 

 a brush pass over the leaves of the flowers. Then lay them to dry on fresh 

 brown paper, and press them a little with a handkerchief, or with your fingers. 

 Then take the size of a walnut of gum dragon, which in less than 24 hours 

 will be dissolved in a pint of fair water, and with a fine brush rub the back 

 sides of the flowers and leaves, to make them stick ; then lay them into your 

 paper-book, where they will lie fast, and always look fresh. And if you would 

 add any smell to these flowers, which will have none, touch them with any 

 essence you please. 



much on account of liis new discoveries (by no means so numerous as he himself imagined, for he 

 had no leisure for a tliorough examination of the works of olliers), as for his excellent injected pre- 

 parations, and his eqiiaily excellent plates, that Ruysch is entitled to be ranked in the number oi tiiose, 

 who contributed largely to the progress of anatomical knowledge at the beginning of the ISthceniory. 



