392 On drying Botanical Specimens. 



ing specimens ; let me now proceed to give a few hints on 

 each of these points. The first injunction 1 would give is 

 this, that we should uniformly collect our plants in dry sun- 

 shiny weather ; because, in this case, having much less juice, 

 they preserve their colour and natural appearance much 

 better. If, on the contrary, we gather our specimens in wet or 

 damp weather, they almost always become black, and are 

 much longer in drying. If the plant is small, we should take 

 the whole of it, root, stem, and flowers, because in many small 

 plants the root forms the specific character. If, again, the 

 plant is large, we should take portions of it to illustrate all its 

 forms. We should observe if it has male and female flowers, 

 and, if so, we should select specimens of both. Some parts of 

 plants are fertile, others barren, both should be brought away. 

 The leaves of the root, stem, and branches sometimes differ, 

 v/e should then select specimens of all. Sometimes in order 

 to render plants portable we must cut them into pieces ; these 

 should, immediately on our return home, be accurately glued 

 together. We often have occasion to observe that the 

 corolla of some plants shuts immediately on the plant being 

 pulled; in that case we should put the plant into our 

 portfolio, as soon as it is pulled, between two sheets of paper. 

 Most of our specimens we put into a common tin case, with 

 which every gardener is well acquainted; when it is filled, 

 we can transfer our plants into a large portfolio. Or, if we 

 wish to bring home many specimens, we should have two flat 

 pieces of wood about two feet square, to be lashed together 

 with belts and buckles, our specimens being separated by in- 

 termediate layers of paper. 



Supposing, now, that we have procured as many plants as 

 we can conveniently carry, let us consider how they are to be 

 dried : and here the grand consideration is, never to be 

 sparing of paper ; for, by being liberal at first, we shall both 

 save much trouble, and in the long run some little expense, as 

 I can from experience testify. If the plant is in any degree 

 succulent, and we are sparing of our paper, it always gets wet, 

 and the plant is spoiled by continually changing the paper. 

 The best kind of paper is that called blotting paper, as it most 

 readily absorbs the moisture ; but, as it is expensive, almost 

 any kind of paper, except the very coarsest description, will 

 answer our purpose, such as old newspapers, &c. With 

 regard to pressing, the best mode is to have a linen bag loosely 

 filled with sand placed over our specimens. Above this 

 we put one of the boards already mentioned, and then above 

 it our weights of whatever kind they may be. The great 

 advantage of this linen bag is, that it presses all parts of the 



