1886. ] BOTANICAL GAZETTE. 137 
already turning yellow than, attempt to use the succulent growths of early 
summer. Do not try (save in a tentative way, as an aid in collecting) to match 
the sexes or determine the species until after your final collections in the fall. 
A season’s experience in this way may be profitably supplemented by making 
initiative collections of leaves in autumn, and gathering flowers and fruits to 
match the next spring.—M. S. Bess 
CaRIcEs oR SepGEs (CAREX).—The first requisite to the study of carices is 
fully mature and complete specimens. A complete specimen represents the 
be represented by the specimen, or, if the plant is large, the fact should be re- 
corded in accompanying notes. Some characters are apt to be obliterated or in- 
jured in the most careful collecting and pressing, and they should be mentioned 
in a short note on the label. Such characters are the aspects of the leaves, as to 
whether plane or canaliculate, and the color of the plant, as to whether glu- 
cose, dark green, light green or yellowish green. Make the notes short. Speci- 
from the fact that the characters of many species are such that they can not be 
represented distinctly by words, and furthermore, it is impossible, in a genus so 
large and so critical, to define groups so positively that one can always be sure 
of their limits, or to draw up a key, either natural or artificial, which will be 
come when one secures a good knowledge of the common forms of C, stricta. 
Collect abundantly of all common species. If the student has no means of se- 
curing authentic specimens he will find it to advantage to delay his study un- 
til he has accumulated a dozen or more clear species, which he can compare 
With each other. When he has fixed in his mind the essential features of a rep- 
resentative species of each important group, his progress will be comparatively 
rapid and easy. Especial care should be taken not to use too much weight in 
pressing species like C. Tuckermani and C. monile, which have inflated and 
papery perigynia. To flatten the spike by pressure is to destroy the natural 
shape of the perigynia. It is a good practice to cut holes in the upper sheet of 
drying paper to allow the spikes to project into them. I usually place a few 
Perigynia from my impressed plant in a pocket. : 
Specimens which are frequently used should be glued tightly upon the 
sheet throughout their whole extent. I had rather have my specimens laid 
loosely upon firm paper, than to have them strapped on sheets in the ordinary 
manner. If the specimens are properly glued, and pockets are used for a few 
loose perigynia, the herbarium will be entirely satisfactory for purposes of 
