1886. ] BOTANICAL GAZETTE, 145 
firm specimens are sometimes softened by steaming. They are then subjected 
to light pressure in the plant press. 
The hard bulky and corky species of Polyporus, Trametes, etc., need no 
preparation except poisoning. They should be kept on shelves or in drawers. 
In public herbaria where space is available they should be placed in trays and 
kept under glass in table cases. If it is desired to have them represented in 
their proper place in the herbarium, make vertical sections through the central 
part of the pileus. La may be tom 4 to 4 of an inch thick and can easily 
be attached to the shee 
It is very iacareat ‘that the specimens should be poisoned. It is best to 
apply the poison as soon as convenient after the specimens are dried. Various 
preparations have been tried, but I find none better than the ordinary mixture 
of corrosive sublimate and alcohol. A paste made of raw rubber soaked in bisul- 
phuret of carbon is the most satisfactory for mounting specimens of anything I 
have tried. Fragile or delicate specimens may be protected by attaching a 
thin piece of cork to the sheet by the side of the specimens.—Cuas. H. Peck. 
The specimens should be put in hie i sun, gills upward. Unless very large 
one day’s bright sun will dry them thoroughly. The large thick Boleti will 
require two days or more. When thoroughly dessicated, they are left out in 
the night air (under cover from rain), which gives them sufficient flexibility 
difficult of all the Fungi to preserve well. They, too, must be ex 
sun, or dry air, until perfectly dry, and the reins fetid odor destroyed. a 
they shrink so much in drying, and are so distorted from their fresh state, as to 
be very unsatisfactory. Full notes should be taken from the fresh specimens of 
all the chief char acters, and if one can overcome the nauseous fetid odor long 
*nough, a drawing should be made.—H. W. RavEneEL. 
A rapid and very satisfactory way of drying fleshy fungi is to use a chem- 
ist’s drying oven heated with steam or hot water. With suitable regulation of 
the temperature, which a little experience will make easy, the best and 
’8 any other. When dry the specimens can be placed at once in a covered jar 
r pail with a wet sponge, and in an hour or two will be limp enough to be put 
between driers, and the next shana oe be ready for poisoning and mounting. 
Parasitic FuNGI (UREDINE®, ETC. ned. —Experience and observation teach 
that a beginner in parasitic fungi is almoet a to be deceived by the work 
of insects, mites or related animals. To distinguis 
is impossible without microscopic exeietasdition: but eventually one learns to 
distinguish in most cases by a glance. No general rule can be given and a 
description of special cases would be long. A collector must train himself to 
See and to distinguish. Probably one can succeed best by beginning with some 
oe group of fungi. Some knowledge of the meted to be looked for is a 
