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134 REMAAKS ON BOTANY. 
edge on one side is sharp for cutting those branches which. 
are out of reach, and the other side is to serve as a hook for 
pulling down branches, that specimens may be obtained of the 
fruit, flowers, and leaves, of high trees. (See plate V., fig. 14.) 
When the botanist has arrived at a place where he is to be 
some time stationary, the plants collected are removed from 
the boxes, and each placed between a separate piece of dry 
blotting paper, and two or more sheets should intervene be- 
twixt every plant. The whole should then be put between . 
the boards, and well strapped together, and placed in a dry 
and warm situation. The paper ought to be changed every 
day for some time, to prevent mouldiness from the damp. 
Tender and marine plants should be placed ina plate of 
pure water, and a piece of strong white paper introduced be- 
neath them, and the plants can then be nicely arranged, and 
then taken out to dry, which is done by raising them slowly in 
an oblique direction, and when they are half dried they must 
be placed between paper, and subjected to pressure. When 
the plants are of a very tender nature, they should be placed 
on talk, or glass. 
Seeds which are produced in pods ought to be kept in these, 
and to prevent them from opening, a thread must be tied round 
them. 
It is of great consequence to have specimens of the trunks 
of trees with their bark entire. Stumps of a foot in length 
are necessary to exhibit these properly ; that is, if they do 
not exceed a foot in diameter. But if the trunk exceeds that 
size, a branch of about that dimension must be chosen. But 
if the branches differ from the trunk in external structure, 
which they frequently do, the trunk itself must be chosen. 
Let it be cut half or a quarter through, and make a longitu- 
dinal section of that portion ; that is, it should be cut out of 
the trunk; but in all cases extending from the pith to the 
bark. 
Funct of a fleshy nature must be preserved in spirits, in the 
same manner as fruits. 
Cryptogamic botany which has, till late years, been much 
neglected, is now exciting general interest. Many of these 
plants are parasites, existing on living vegetables, and appear 
like spots, or excrescences on leaves, stems &c. These should 
