158 THE PLANTS 



or mounted and pressed, or salted, as desired. Large 

 algae, such as Kelps or species of Fucus, can be very 

 well dried in the air, care being taken to shut out 

 the glare of the sun, in which the algae dry too soon, 

 and become brittle. The method of successfully drying 

 in the air will depend upon the moistness or dryness 

 of each climate. In Norway Kelps dried beautifully 

 on being exposed to the wind. To save space, one may 

 fold or roll up big algae, care being taken to do this 

 before they are too dry and too brittle. They should 

 afterwards be allowed to dry further. It is absolutely 

 necessary to let Kelps dry before folding them up, or 

 before putting the small ones into press ; for if put into 

 press at once they easily become mouldy. The dried 

 specimens can afterwards be moistened again ; the 

 water absorbed in soaking them out will be very easily 

 given up in the press. 



The plants to be pressed for the herbarium ought 

 to be carefully washed and sorted in sea water, wherein 

 they retain their colours better than in fresh water. 

 In a few cases it may be advisable to wash the algae in 

 fresh water before putting them into press. Travellers 

 will prefer photographic dishes for this sorting and the 

 subsequent spreading, but collectors living near the 

 seaside will find common earthenware dishes, white 

 within, preferable. For floating out the specimens, a 

 method of the late Mr. Holden is recommendable, 

 which I copy out of Professor Setchell's paper. 



The utensils are very simple — a shallow dish and a 

 rectangular piece of zinc, just a little smaller than the 

 bottom of the dish. The corners of the zinc (or two 

 sides) are bent over at a sharp angle, all the same way. 

 The piece of zinc is then placed in the dish, with the bent 

 portions downwards, so as to raise the main portion of 

 the zinc somewhat from the bottom of the dish. Water 



