138 BOTANICAL GAZETTE. [June, 
study. Ido not like specimens arranged in alphabetic order, unless in genera 
which I am not studying. With the two volumes of the Synoptical Flora, and 
the occasional synopses and monographs of outlying genera, we are able to ar- 
range species of familiar genera in systematic order, and if the synopsis has an 
index we need experience little a in finding any specimen. A brief 
synopsis of American carices is forthco 
Tall and leafy specimens should MS pressed in such a manner that the 
culms shall stand out distinctly from the leaves. It is a common but bungling 
practice with such straggling specimens to tie leaves and culms together in one 
confused bunch before pressing. The culms should be bent over separately 
from the leaves, and a bit of slitted paper inserted over the junction of the 
broken portions to keep them in place. Similar treatment should be given 
long leaves.—L. H. Barney, JR. 
GrassEs (GRAMINE®).—Among phenogamous plants none are more easily 
dried and preserved than grasses. Good dried specimens (and there is small 
excuse for having anything but good specimens in this order) present all the 
essential characters for identification in a condition but little inferior to the 
fresh and living plant. Excepting Phragmites communis and the species of 
ndinaria, we have no natives that may not, with a little care in doubling 
enough of the root to show its character—and yet not exceed the bounds of the 
standard size herbarium paper. In an order where there isso much similitude 
between the species the importance of having specimens illustrative of all the 
characters of the plant is sufficiently evident. Among some of the groups it 
requires very close discrimination to find definite characters for distinguishing 
the species, and, unless the specimens are carefully prepared and made as com- 
plete as — ible, the very characters required may be wanting. The worth 
lessness of ‘ snips,”’ merely showing the fiowers and inflorescence, i is as true of 
grasses as of other plants, and happily collectors are becoming aware of this 
fact, yet a glance into almost any herbarium shows a neglect in certain partic- 
ulars of a more or less serious character. The distinguishing of many species 
is dependent almost entirely upon the root or other underground portions of 
the plant. Notably is this true of the species of Agropyrum and some of the 
Poas, yet there are no parts more often neglected in the making of specimens. 
The importance of the preservation of all the leaves of the culm uninjured 
goes without saying, but it is not so generally understood that it is quite #s 
important to preserve the sterile shoots—the “ innovationes” of Hackel—in a 
exhibited by the flowering stem itself, from the fact of their being less subject 
to variation. Their importance in Sega species and varieties closely 
ted is well illustrated in Hackel’s Monograph of the Festucas of Europe. 
It is only by a close attention to a. organs that we can hope to define the 
titudinous and intricate Rocky Mountain forms of the genus Poa. 
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