145 



New Methods of Drying Plants. — In a recent number of 

 Flora * certain improved methods of drying plants are described 

 which, according to a note appended by Professor Goebel to 

 the article, are highly successful. 



The first method consists of using, instead of the ordinary 

 drying paper, sheets of cotton batting. The batting is cut to 

 regular size and then inclosed in covers of tissue paper glued 

 along the margins. The plants are placed between layers of 

 •these sheets and then put in an open r work press. Without 

 further changing, except in the case of very fleshy plants, the 

 specimens are dried in two or three days. Especially delicate 

 plants liable to be easily torn should be placed first between 

 sheets of tissue paper alone and then laid on the driers. 



The second method f is more complicated but is very rapid 

 and is recommended especially for climates which are moist. 

 Half an hour to an hour, or in the case of Unusually fleshy plants, 

 somewhat longer, is sufficient to dry the specimens thoroughly. 

 The principle consists simply of this. A cylinder of tin or rus- 

 sia iron, say 50 cm. high by 35 cm. in diameter, and, punctured 

 with holes like a colander, is supported over a kerosene lamp or 

 Bunsen flame, the plants being strapped on the outside. The 

 latter process is the one which is more or less complicated. 

 First the cylinder is permanently covered with linen or some kind 

 of cloth. Then a second removable cover is made, which will 

 barely meet around the cylinder ; on its edges are strips of wood 

 provided with metal screws which can be used to draw the cloth 

 tight. J Thus prepared the cover is laid on the table and the 

 plants enclosed in several layers of filter paper placed on it. The 

 cylinder on its side is then laid on top of the whole and the cloth 

 with the specimens is wrapped carefully around it. The screws 

 are then tightened, binding the whole mass to the cylinder, which 

 is set up on end on a tripod over the flame. The drying pro- 

 ceeds rapidly but care must be taken not to burn the specimens. 

 As they dry the cover loosens and must be tightened from time 



* Prof. S. Rostowzew, Laboratorium Notizen. Ueber einige Methoden des Trock- 

 nens der Pflanzen fiir das Herbarium. Flora, 88 : 473. 1901. 

 f First employed by Herr Jegorow of Moscow. 



\ It is possible that the adjustable catches such as are used on " arctics " could be 

 ed for this. 



