[29] DIRECTIONS FOR COLLECTING PLANTS KNOWLTON. 



need to be wrapped up. It would be the best to take the whole inflor- 

 escence, or at least a part of it, if too large, instead of removing tl)e 

 flowers. 



FRUITS. 



Of large fleshy fruits, as, for instance, berries and drupes, at least one 

 should be preserved of each species. Each should be carefully labeled 

 and put into the tauks, and it will not hurt them to be mixed in the 

 same tank with the several others if they are securely labeled. 



A few drupes or berries of smaller species may be preserved in test- 

 tubes. 



ROOTSTOCKS. 



Succulent, thick rootstocks, as, for instance, tubers, bulbs, etc., should 

 be preserved in tanks or test tubes, according to their size. The collector 

 must dig the plants up very carefully, and always dry a few specimens 

 entire, while he, concerning the rootstocks for the preservation in alco- 

 hol, can cut off the stem above ground with the flowers and leaves if 

 the specimen is too large ; if not, one specimen might be preserved en- 

 tire in alcohol. 



. ROOTS. 



If the collector should meet with plants of which the roots seem to 

 show peculiarities in regard to their size or shape, a few of such should 

 be pj eserved in alcohol. 



AQUATIC PLANTS. 



Branches with flowers, fruits, leaves, and a few roots of floating or 

 submersed plants, should be preserved in this manner, besides those to 

 be dried for the herbarium. The collector must always, when collect- 

 ing aquatic plants, pay attention to the green water-mosses {Algce), of 

 which some specimens should be preserved in the tanks ; they should 

 then be wrapped up in paper, tied closely together, and labeled. 



FUNGI. 



All soft and fleshly specimens of mushrooms can merely be preserved 

 in alcohol. Larger specimens can easily be divided into smaller pieces, 

 but the section must be made in such a manner that the shape of the 

 fungus will be recognized ; the sections must therefore always be made 

 vertically through the middle of the mushroom. 



It is, however, to be remarked that the collector must always take 

 into consideration the consistence of the plants or parts of these before 

 he decides to preserve them in alcohol. He must never put larger 

 fruits in the tanks if he is not certain that they can not just as well be 

 dried, and in regard to the smaller flowers, only the more delicate forms, 

 as small orchids, etc., should be preserved in the test tubes. The min- 

 ute flowers of rushes, grasses, sedges, and other dry flowers will usually 

 be able to keep their shape as dried for the herbarium. 



