BULLETIN 39, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. [16] 



flowers or seed-pods or any of the characteristic parts of the plants 

 collected, which may be used in dissections and stady without the ne- 

 cessity of mutilating the specimens which are to be made up into the 

 sets. Each species should be given a number in the field, as soon as 

 collected. Opposite this number in the note book should be recorded 

 everything of interest that relates to the plant ; its i)articular habi- 

 tat, relative abundance, size, color of its flowers, altitude at which 

 collected, and everything in fact that the specimens themselves will 

 not clearly show. This number, which maybe conveniently written on 

 small pieces of paper an inch or two square, should hereafter always 

 accompany the specimens, for upon it depend all the data relating to 

 them. If, when the plants are placed in the press, they occupy more 

 than a single sheet, duplicates of this number must accompany them. 

 Never use the same number for two sets of specimens, for, even if they 

 appear similar, they will be collecced at a diflferent date and locality 

 and never use the same numbers twice during the same collecting trip, as 

 it will almost certainly lead to confusion. 



" The next step in the botanist's work is to preserve the specimens 

 which he has collected. They should not be allowed to lie in the port- 

 folio over night, but if it is imposible to attend to them all, then as 

 many should be pressed as possible, beginning with those first collected 

 (and this is another advantage in a methodical way of filling the port- 

 folio). Those last collected may perhaps lie till the next morning, but 

 if of a tender character or very juicy, it is best to slip in a dry paper 

 on both sides of each specimen." (Ward.) 



If it has been decided not to number the collection, as indicated 

 above, temporary labels must now be written for each species, placed 

 with them and kept with them throughout. All data not furnished by 

 the specimens themselves must be placed on these labels. 



Everything is now ready to put the plants in the press, the driers, 

 thin papers, blank labels, or papers for numbers being at band. Two 

 or three driers are placed upon the one of the press- boards (cleat side 

 down) and upon them is laid a sheet of thin paper. The plant is now 

 placed on this thin paper with its leaves and flowers spread out, and 

 all its parts placed in the position in which it is desirable for them al- 

 ways to remain. If the parts that have previously been bent are re- 

 fractory and refuse to remain in the positions desired, they may usually 

 be fixed by slipping over them pieces of paper in which slits have been 

 cut (see Fig, 6). Grasses and carices often require treatment of this 

 kind. 



Thick rhizomas, tubers, or other thick stems must also be prepared 

 before being placed in the press. Tubers had best be cut in half and a 

 part of the inside removed. The cavity may be filled with cotton or 

 they may be simply pressed flat. Ehizomas should have a slice cut 

 from one side and the cavity made and, filled as above described, or it 



