340 On Preserving Organic specimens. 



ing wax to the outer surface of the glass. It was exposed to air 

 and sunshine in a high and sheltered situation. After the lapse 

 of two or three days, the outer specimen had obviously begun to 

 lose its color, and was inclining to yellow, while the enclosed spe- 

 cimen, equally exposed to light, still retained its vivid green and 

 apparent freshness. The outer specimen continued to fade until 

 it became nearly decolored ; but the enclosed one suffered not the 

 slightest change in appearance. 



It is not essential that the specimen should be dried previously 

 to being thus enclosed. By increasing the quantity of lime to 

 three or four times the weight of the substance to be desiccated, 

 a specimen just plucked may be carefully arranged beneath the 

 glass — it may be then subjected for a couple of days to a few 

 pounds of pressure, may be sealed up and never afterwards re- 

 moved. The degree of perfection with which the most delicate 

 tints of flowers can thus be preserved, is incapable of being sur- 

 passed. In the space of two or three days, the specimen generally 

 becomes more thoroughly dry than it is practicable to render it 

 by bibulous paper. 



Upon carefully surrounding fresh specimens of Asclepias Dra- 

 keana* and Rosa Gallica, with fine powder of quick lime, in a 

 close tin box, complete desiccation was accomplished in a single 

 day ; and I was agreeably surprised in finding, that the lime had 

 not in the least modified any of the colors. The flowers were 

 taken out of their natural shape and color, but stiff and brittle 

 from dryness. It is sometimes rather difficult, however, to re- 

 move all the lime from some portions of the flowers. Probably it 

 would be best to fill the interior of deep flowers with fine clean 

 sand, before burying them in the powder of lime. In this way, 

 fruits, fungi, insects, small fish, and even reptiles, may be effectu- 

 ally embalmed. 



In common herbals the flower is rudely crushed ; the import- 

 ant organs from which generic characters are drawn, are deform- 

 ed, displaced, and often incorporated into a seemingly homoge- 

 neous mass ; and the fine colors, if they do not become even com- 

 pletely faded, are never preserved for any great length of time with- 

 out deterioration. Large specimens exhibiting the stem, branches, 

 leaves, and mode of inflorescence, may well enough be kept in 



* Undescribed. Flowers yellow and crimson. Louisiana. 



