180 BOTANICAL GAZETTE [MaRcH 
For some time I have been using a preferable method 
which I devised during my student days in order to save my 
collections. My Vermont collections of the last two seasons 
have been dried in a galvanized wire tray 14 X 20 X 2™ deep 
(fig. 2). This tray is suspended horizontally 16" above the 
floor against the side wall of a room by strong cords tied to the 
four corners of the tray and passing over a nail higher up in the 
side wall. As soon as a species has been determined, its char- 
acters noted, and the plants prepared as already directed, its 
placed in a pile by itself, with its label, on the wire tray inthe 
most favorable place available. An ordinary kerosene hand- 
lamp, total height 11, is placed under this pile of fungi of 
one species, or more usually under several piles grouped side 
by side, if several species are drying at the same time. The 
flame of the lamp is adjusted so that the current of heated ait 
which rises up through the plants will not be hot enough 10 q 
bake them. Species not subject to the work of larve, and which 
would make fine specimens by slow drying by sun heat, may be 
placed at places on the tray not directly above the lamp. As 
the piles of plants accumulate on the tray, more lamps af 
lighted and placed beneath it. Three lamps are sufficient ia 
tray of the area of mine. The lamps are kept going 
and day until all plants on the tray are thoroughly dried. : 
During the process of drying the brittle stems of mae 2 
species become pliant for a time. While in this condition it® 
a good plan to bend them near the point of attachment a ’ 
pileus so that they may lie in nearly the same planes eee 1 
pilei. Most species dry out rapidly in a few hours; othe : 
large Boleti and Lactarii, may require twenty-four wee 
may require turning once or more. As rapidly as P pase 
thoroughly dried in any piles, I remove such plants sag 
drying tray and place them, each species by itsel 
sheets of felt paper which are used as “driers 
ing plants. During the busy collecting season MY PY, ty 
the piles on these driers, from half a dozen to twenty —— 
a drier, in : isturbed. Th¢Y ” 
,» in a room where they will not be disturbe 
RB 
