800 MODE OF DRYING PLANTS. 



killing them. The plants thus dealt with are then placed upon a cloth 

 and left to drain for some time, after ■which they must be carefully 

 placed between the folds of the drying paper, not forgetting to lay out 

 properly any of the parts which the water may have disarranged. 

 Orchideous plants are sometimes put into warm paper, and changed 

 frequently, with the view, if possible, of preserving their colours by 

 the rapidity of drying. Scarification has sometimes been adopted with 

 the view of allowing the juice to flow out rapidly. Motley recom- 

 mends that Orchids should be put into weak spirit for one or two 

 nights, and then dried. In the case of some thick-headed plants, as 

 Thistles, the capitula must either be cut, or they must be crushed 

 between paper, by temporary pressure from the foot ; this treatment 

 must also be applied to such plants as Eryngium maritimum and the 

 Holly. Sometimes the flower, or parts of the flower, may be separated 

 advantageously during drying, by the insertion of small pieces of 

 blotting-paper. At the time the specimens are laid out on the drying 

 paper, a label should be inserted with the date of collecting, the name 

 of the station, its elevation above the sea (if it can be ascertained), 

 and any remarks as to soil or geological structure that may be known. 

 In the course of long excursions, it is necessary to devote every now 

 and then some time to the proper arranging and tallying of the speci- 

 mens. On this subject GrevUle says, " Half-a-day, therefore, at least, 

 in the middle of the week, say the morning of every Wednesday, till 

 two o'clock, should be appropriated to the preservation and arrange- 

 ment of your plants ; and a part or the whole of every Saturday should 

 invariably be set apart for the same purpose, in order that they may 

 not be iojured by remaining untouched on the Lord's Day." With 

 the view of transporting dried plants securely in wet weather, it is 

 useful to have a supply of oU-cloth to cover them. 



Mosses may be collected in excursions in tufts, and dried by mode- 

 rate pressure at first. They can afterwards be separated, moistened, 

 and dried with greater pressure. They ought to be gathered in fruc- 

 tification. In preserving minute Mosses, Dr. C. MiiUer takes clear 

 talc, splits it into thin layers, and cuts it into oblong pieces of proper 

 size. Then, with a penknife, he splits one of these pieces, from one 

 of the narrow sides, half-^ay through, so that it may be opened to 

 admit the object and then close by its elasticity, the unsplit end 

 serving as a holder. A drop of water is introduced into the slit with 

 the object. When laid aside it dries, and may be rendered fit for 

 microscopic examination by dipping in water. Lichens sometimes 

 require to be taken with the rocks or stones to which they are 

 attached, and they may be merely wrapped up in paper. Seaweeds 

 must be washed with fresh water before being laid out. The more 

 delicate kiiids are floated out on pieces of stiff paper, and afterwards 

 dried by moderate pressure. In preserving fungi, such as Agarics, 



