DRYING AND PRESERVING PLANTS, ETC. 



679 



of the under surface. The magnum is, of course, 

 only required on excursions when a considerable 

 number of specimens are desired. On such occa- 

 sions, it is indispensable, if the collector wishes 

 to bring home his plants in a satisfactory state. 

 In boxes intended for the pocket, and in them 

 onh', the common concave form of the lid may 

 be retained with advantage. 



The Field-hook. This may be carried or not, 

 according to circumstances. It may be made of 

 any size, from that of a large pocket-book to a 

 folio, and is in fact nothing more than a, port- 

 folio, containing a quantity of absorbent paper, 

 temporary pressure being given by a couple of 

 straps. To the inner edge of one side is attached 

 a piece of oiled silk, as well as to each end, 

 which serves to keep the paper dry in case of 

 rain. If the field-book is of a quarto or folio 

 size, it may be slung over the shoulder by a 

 strap, on the side unoccupied by the vasculum. 

 The great use of such a book is, that plants hav- 

 ing very deciduous flowers, the Veronica samtilis 

 for example, may be at once exposed to some 

 degree of pressure. Some plants also, whose 

 corollas close almost immediately after being 

 gathered, such as those of the different species 

 oi erythrma, can only be preserved in their beauty 

 by being placed in paper on the spot. In a long 

 day's excursion, where the harvest is likely to 

 be abundant, the field-book will be found ex- 

 tremely useful. 



Paper. The best paper for the process of 

 drying plants is a kind known by the name of 

 demy grey, with a tolerably smooth surface, 

 eighteen inches long by eleven inches broad, 

 wliich is the size found by experience to be most 

 convenient, not only for the resident but the 

 travelling botanist. It may be purchased for 

 seven or eight shillings per ream, and is prefer- 

 able to common blotting paper, in being very 

 much cheaper, far more durable, and in drying 

 more rapidly after having been used — a point of 

 considerable importance, especially on botanical 

 excursions, when large quantities have to be 

 dried daily, and sometimes under very disadvan- 

 tageous circumstances. A limited quantity of 

 very thin white paper, of the same size as that 

 described above, will be found useful in pre- 

 serving some plants, which become soft and flac- 

 cid during the process of drying, and which can- 

 not be transferred fi-om one sheet of paper to 

 another without injury. The corolla of viola 

 lutea, for example, collapses, if removed in the 

 ordinary way, after a day's pressure. By plac- 

 ing such plants at first within the sheet of thin 

 paper, the whole sheet, plants and all, can be 

 moved when the drying paper requires to be 

 changed, without their being disturbed. 



Boards. Two kinds of boards must be pro- 

 cured, both of which should be exactly the size 

 of the paper, or, at most, a quarter of an inch 



larger each way. Two of the boards should be 

 double ones, half or three-quarters of an inch 

 thick ; each double board being composed of two 

 thin ones, the gi-ain of the one crossing that of 

 the other, firmly glued together, and further 

 secured by small screws along the edge, at inter- 

 vals of three inches : the rest of the boards, say 

 eight in number, should be three-eighths of an 

 inch thick. These ten boards form a set, and 

 will serve for a couple of reams of paper. If 

 the collector is active, he will require several 

 sets of boards, and paper in proportion. » 



Press. Some botanists employ screw or other 

 presses. A preferable and simpler plan is to use 

 common iron weights, or a squared stone hav- 

 ing an iron ring fixed in the centre. By this 

 means, the pressure is never relaxed, as is the 

 case with the screw-press. In preserving bulky 

 plants, it is sometimes difiicult to equalize the 

 pressure. Paper folded to the required thick- 

 ness, and placed on each side of the stem, is fre- 

 quently sufficient for the purpose. In more 

 difficult cases, a sand-bag or two, of tlie size of 

 the paper, may be used with advantage. In 

 travelling, each parcel of paper containing plants 

 must be secured by three strong straps, a double 

 board being placed above and below, and in this 

 way a considerable degree of pressure may be 

 obtained. When the botanist is stationary for 

 several days on an excursion, or even resting for 

 a single night, no better resource can be desired 

 than a few heavy stones. A weight of 100 lbs. 

 will not be too much to place upon each parcel. 



A pair of common surgeon's forceps are very 

 useful in removing small plants from one sheet 

 of paper to another. A second pair, as well 

 as an extra knife, will be provided by the 

 experienced traveller, in case of accidents. If 

 an excursion of some days is contemplated, a 

 good supply of strong cord, and several spai-e 

 straps, should not be omitted ; and every parcel 

 of paper should be completely enveloped in oil- 

 cloth (before the boards are strapped on,) to 

 prevent the paper or its contents from being 

 injured by wet. 



The botanist being now provided with his 

 materiel, I shall suppose him to have commenced 

 a ramble of a few days. He has already been 

 tempted to deposit some fine specimens of very 

 common plants in his vasculum ; but let not this 

 provoke a smile, for it is not a bad rule to take 

 even a very common plant, when a remarkably 

 fine or beautiful specimen presents itself. But 

 as our botanist has commenced operations, I shall 

 now address myself to him, and oifer a few hints 

 for his guidance. Be very particular in the 

 first place, in the choice of specimens : put no- 

 thing into your box that is not good of its kind. 

 Let the specimens be the proper size for preserv- 

 ing, and dispose them carefully, so as not to in- 

 jure each other. Clean the roots before you 



