802 CASES FOE HEKBAEITJM. 



them more or less completely, and making them assume a light brown 

 tint ; but there can be no hesitation between the alteration of their 

 colour and the complete destruction with which they are menaced, if 

 not submitted to the above manipulation ; some recommend cyanide 

 of potassium to destroy insects. In herbarium-presses camphor is em- 

 ployed to prevent the attack of insects. The specimens must be kept 

 dry, and frequently examined, and when insects are present, they 

 must be retouched with the solution already indicated. Dry fruits, 

 specimens of wood and bark, large roots, lichens and minute Algae 

 on rocks or stones, or other specimens which cannot be preserved 

 in a herbarium, may be either placed in drawers, in glazed cases, or 

 in glass jars. 



The size of the wooden case for the herbarium must of course de- 

 pend on the extent of the collection. In a private collection it is 

 better to have numerous small cases, which are easily removed at 

 pleasure along with the specimens. This should be particularly at- 

 tended to by medical students, and others, who have the prospect of 

 going abroad, and who may wish to transport their collections to 

 foreign countries. In such instances the cases should be strongly 

 made, and should be not more than four feet high, with two rows of 

 drawers. These drawers are made open in front, and should slide 

 freely in the case. In the Edinburgh University Herbarium, the 

 size of the drawers or trays is — depth (inside measurement) 4 inches, 

 length 19 inches, and breadth 11 j inches. The size of the trays should 

 of course correspond to that of the herbarium paper. Some collectors 

 have peculiar fancies in regard to the size of their herbarium. Thus 

 a valuable collection of Oryptogamic plants, grasses, sedges, rushes, 

 etc., left by Menzies to the Edinburgh Botanic Garden has the fol- 

 lowing]dimensions : — Height of the mahogany cases 30 inches, breadth 

 in front 28|^, from front to back 11; depth of the trays (inside mea- 

 surement) 4:| inches, length 9|, breadth 6. 



Specimens in a. Moist State. — In preserving fresh specimens 

 of fruits, and the other parts of plants, the best mode is to put them 

 into a saturated solution of salt and water. They can thus be sent 

 home from foreign countries in jars or barrels. In making a museum 

 of such specimens, they are put into glass jars, the sizes of which 

 should be regular — 4, 8, 12, and 16 inches high, with a diameter 

 varying according to the size of the specimen. The glasses may be 

 filled with the following solution, which is nearly the same as that 

 used by Goadby, and which seems to answer well in most instances : — 



Bay salt ........ 4 ounces. 



Burnt alum ........ 2 ounces. 



Corrosive sutlimate .... . . 5-10 grains. 



Boiling water 2 quarts. 



