CHAPTER IV 

 Material and Equipment 



XIV. Collecting and Preserving Material 



Saturday and vacation excursions offer best oppor- 

 tunities for collecting. Each member of the party 

 should be provided with something in which to carry 

 the material collected. Small baskets, bags, tin cans, 

 and bottles will do. 



For collecting plants a rubber bag or a tin can, which 

 prevent evaporation and hence the wilting of the speci- 

 mens, are desirable. A convenient form of collecting 

 can is an oval, elongated one with a hinged lid on one 

 side. Eighteen inches long, with ends 9 inches by 

 6 inches, is a convenient size. It should be provided 

 with loops for straps, by which it can be suspended 

 from the shoulder. Any tinner will make such a can 

 for about $i or $1.50. It can also be purchased from 

 dealers (see below). 



For preserving plants, they should be pressed while 

 fresh; if possible, the same day as collected or at least 

 early next day. Wrapping them in moist paper or 

 sprinkling them in the can with water will preserve 

 them from withering for some time. In order to 

 preserve its form and color the plant should be placed 

 between blotting-paper (or porous carpet-paper) with 

 pieces of newspaper between. A convenient size of 

 dryers is 18 inches by 12 inches. 



All parts of the plant, root, stem, leaf, and fruit 

 should be preserved if possible; and it should be so 

 placed in the dryers as to exhibit the natural appear- 



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