PHOTOGRAPHS OF FLOWERS DRYING PLANTS 59 



deal to be desired, and good ordinary photographs will serve as 

 excellent records of form, and if one does not mind losing some of 

 the more delicate tints and their nicer gradations, a fair repre- 

 sentation of colour in the form of the transparencies invented by Mr 

 Sanger Shepherd can, with the expenditure of some trouble, be 

 obtained. 



The possibilities of the ordinary photograph are, however, pretty 

 considerable, as will be seen from some of the work of Mr Henry 

 Stevens, which through his kindness we are able to reproduce 

 (see figure 180). 



DRYING PLANTS IN NATURAL FORM AND COLOUR 



If considerable space can be given to the collection (and in a 

 dry position), or small series of specimens only are required to 

 illustrate structure and habits, a method of drying plants without 

 flattening them, arid in many cases without destroying much of their 

 colour, may be employed. 



In the simplest form a layer of clean and perfectly dry sand is 

 put at the bottom of a box big enough to hold the part of the 

 plant to be preserved, leaving some space above and around it. 

 More sand is now taken and skilfully placed in the box to fill all 

 interstices of the plant, so that it is gradually buried with all its 

 parts retaining their original relationships. If much work is to be 

 done, it is possible to construct a sort of " hopper " from which the 

 sand may be conducted by means of a flexible tube to any place and 

 in such quantities as may be desirable. At last when the plant is 

 well hidden, the box is placed in a dry place such as a kitchen 

 cupboard for a week or so. After this time has elapsed, the bulk of 

 the sand is allowed to fall away by tipping the box, and what may 



