212 
delicate: forms with large leaves, dense foliage, and close-set 
mal 
branches are much better than varieties with s leaves, 
skimpy foliage, and scattered branch In the second place, it 
is essential th e material should be soft and flexible, and at 
brittle stems or aaah texture, must be avoide 
Of all the sphagnums, there is one species one combines, to a 
h 
surgical dressings than any other variety. Three other species of 
a 
variation when it comes to their capacity for absorbing liquids, 
as well as to other features which adapt them to surgical use, 
PLATE 218, lower figure. 1. Sphagnum recurvum. 2. S. capilleceum tenellum. 
. S. Girgensohnii. These three and similar forms are mostly worthless for surg- 
— 2 : A : 
. 4. Si Th i 
surgical dressings. 5, 6, 7..S. magellanicum, Material like No. 7, which is soft and 
very full- aioe ae ne 6, which ak ss bushy but very Sone: make excellent surg- 
ical material. he water. abit 
of this species—very stemmy, Seis: ae d, and sa harsh. Such material 
is useles: 8,9. S. papillosum, These two specimens and Nos. 6-8 illustrate the 
ion 
iffer 
environment. Moss like Nos. 7 and 9 furnishes a -est eG materia! 
