DRYING PAPER AND BOARDS. 797 



ties in which the specimens were collected. Many plants wUl not 

 bear transport ; their flowers fall off easily, and they are so delicate 

 that their foliage becomes shrivelled. This is the case with the flower 

 of Trientalis europsea, Eubus Cham«morus, and Veronica saxatilis, 

 and with some delicate Ferns. In such instances it is best to put 

 them at once into paper. This is managed by having a small Field- 

 look (fig. 959), which may be put into the pocket or suspended round 

 the neck, secured by straps, so as to give pressure, and with an oil- 

 cloth covering which may be used in wet weather. This field-book may 

 be made with two thin mahogany boards on the outside. 



A convenient field-book, used by students in Edinburgh, is repre- 

 sented by fig. 960. It is made of two mahogany boards, about nine 

 inches long by five broad, containing from 12 to 24 parcels of paper, 

 each parcel consisting of four sheets, the back of the parcels being 

 covered with strips of leather or cloth. The boards may be rendered 

 firm by being made each of two thin layers of crossed wood fastened 

 together in the way afterwards noticed when speaking of large boards. 

 Two narrow leather straps pass through two holes in one margin of 

 each of the boards, and also through slits in the leather-covered backs 

 of the parcels of the paper, a, so as to prevent them from falling out 

 when the field-book is opened. In the case of one of the boards, the 

 two straps also pass through perforations in its other margin, S, and 

 under these another strap is passed for the purpose of suspending the 

 field-book round the neck. The two small straps pass through grooves 

 in the margin of the other board, c, and are thus buckled so as to 

 apply pressure. 



The Paper for drying should be moderately absorbent, 18 inches 

 long by 11 broad, and arranged in parcels containing not less than four 

 sheets. The paper which is generally used in Scotland is of consider- 

 able thickness, absorbs moisture rapidly, but does not become too 

 moist, and dries easily. A very thin kind of paper, called crown tea- 

 paper, is used for holding very delicate plants, which cannot be easily 

 transferred from one paper to another during drying. After being 

 carefully laid out in the folds of this paper, they are placed between 

 the sheets of drying paper, and when the paper is changed they are 

 transferred at once in their thin cover without being disturbed. This 

 plan is useful in the case of such plants as Myriophyllum, Callitriche 

 autumnalis, and other aquatics, as well as Viola lutea, whose petals 

 collapse if removed in the ordinary way, after a day's pressure. 



In order that pressure may be given, Boards are requisite. These 

 should be exactly the size of the drying paper. Some of them are 

 used for outside boards, and these ought to be from ^ to | of an inch 

 thick. Others are inside boards, about | of an inch thick. The out- 

 side boards are often made double — each double board being composed 

 of two thin ones, the grain of the one crossing that of the other (as in 



