ENTOMOLOGIST AND BOTANIST. 



215 



i0tantral gcpartmtnt. 



Dk. GEORGE VASEY, Editor, Riohview, Ills 



THE HERBARIDM. 



Tlif ol)jects in Naturo arc so numerous and 

 (livorsifipfl tliat it is iuipossihlc for any one to 

 nUain intlic mind a distinct and clear concci)tion 

 of all (lie species in any one of the departments 

 of Nature. Every Naturalist also knows how 

 difficult it is to describe, hy i)eii or type, clearly 

 and accurately the charactiTs of a species, so 

 that it may he easily identified. Hence the im- 

 portance, in the difl'erent departments of Natural 

 science, , of collections or museums of natural 

 objects. For instance, it is impossible to g:ive a 

 learner a clear idea of the nature of granite, llme- 

 stoue, sandstone, or other rocks and minerals 

 without an examination of s])ecimeiis. Indeed, 

 it may be safely stated that no man can become 

 a good Naturalist without the preservation, in 

 some form, of the objects of his research. 



In pursuing- the study of Botany, it is of the 

 greatest importan(^e that specimens of tlie plants 

 examined should be preserved for comparison 

 with other species. We hope many of our read- 

 ers will commence Avith the oiiening of spring to 

 make collections of dried plants, and to aid them 

 in this work, we present a few directions, l)y 

 following- which, we think, they will succeed in 

 obtaining satistactory specimens. 



A very good and convenient press consists 

 merely of two i)ieces of planed board, each about 

 fourteen by tw'enty inches, and with two cleats 

 screwed across each board to prevent it from 

 warping or splitting. 



Next provide an abundance of paper for dryers : 

 common wrapinng- paper will <lo, about twelve 

 by eighteen inches in size ; or newspapers folded 

 to about that size will answer. Then we want a 

 i|uantity of ))lain whiti^ printing paper, of about 

 the same size. Newspapers folded to the proper 

 size will do for many i)lants. but the w'liite print- 

 ing i)aper is best. 



Now. how unu-h of a plant shall wo take for a 

 s|)e(imen? Whenever the plant is small enough 

 to go into a sheet ten by sixteen inches, without 

 much crowding- of the parts, take the whole 

 lilant while in flower, or what is better, in flower 

 and fruit, when possible, and with the root also, 

 or a part of the root, if large. The i)rinciple is 

 to hav(^ as fair and full a reiiresentation as po.s- 

 sible of all the parts of the plant. 



The roots, or the })ulbs and tubers, of some 

 plants are important characters, and sometimes 



furnish distinctive marks of great value. When 

 th(> bulb or tuber is large and bulky, it v,\]\ be 

 best to slice ofl' longitudinal pieces to reduce it 

 to proper size. Some long and slendcn- plants, as 

 grasses, can be easily bent <mce or twice, so as 

 to include the whole plant in a single sheet. JJul 

 where the i)laut is loo large to be used entire, we 

 take a portion — as a branc-li. with leaves, flowers 

 an<l fruit if ))ossible. 



In some cases we have to take specimens of a 

 plant at ditferent times, in order fully to rei)re- 

 sent its characters. Kor instance, some Willows, 

 the Elms and some Maples, develop Iheir flowers, 

 and nearly mature theii- fruit, bcfori^ the leaves 

 are fully expanded. In this case we get sjieci- 

 mens, first of the flowers and afterwards of the 

 leaves and fruit. 



Now. suppose we are ready to i)rei>are a bo- 

 tanical specimen. We first lay down one of the 

 press boards, upon which we places fiv(^ or six 

 sheets of the drying paper. Next the specimen 

 is to be spread out, as naturally as possible, on 

 the white sheet. Of smalj plants several speci- 

 mens may often be ])laced on one sheet. This 

 sheet, containing the specimen or specimens, is 

 next to be placed on the layer of dryers, and five 

 or six sheets more of dryers to be placed above 

 it. Now, if we have any more si)eciniens. we 

 may fill another white sheet and pla<-e on more 

 dryers, an<l so alternate them until we have in 

 press all the specimens we wish. Then we |)lace 

 th(^ other press-board on the top of all. and ujion 

 it we iilace a heavy weight, not generally less 

 than fifty pounds, and for most plants, especially 

 when there are many in the i)r(?ss. a hundred 

 ])onnds will not be too nuich. 



The usual custom is to leave the ])ress in this 

 state for about twenty-four hours, then remove 

 the dryers, which have by this time become damp 

 with the moisture absorbed from the plants, and 

 rephu-e them with fresh ones; then reapply the 

 weights and leave them for another day, repeat- 

 ing- the change of dryers daily until the moisture 

 is entirely removed from the six'ciniens. which 

 will usually re(|uirc about oik^ week. Some 

 succulent plants will require a longer time. The 

 damp papers may be dried and prepared for use 

 again by half an hour's exposure to a hot sun, or 

 if necessary they are to be dried by the stove. 



It frequently hai)pens that, altera lot of plants 

 have been in jjress for one, two, or more days, 

 we want to introduce more specimens. In this 

 case we should sei)arate the fresh oTies from the 

 others by intervening a piece of oilc<l cloth, or 

 oiled paper. When dry the specimens are to Ix' 

 carefully put awiiy in the Herbarium. 



We shall be surer of making good specimens, 



