AUGUST, 1916.] THE ORCHID REVIEW. 195 
then pressing them between additional papers, so as to get the water away 
as quickly as possible. Moderate pressure is necessary, either by the use 
of a weight or of strapping the sheets in a lattice work frame, and changing 
the papers as often as necessary. The application of heat facilitates the 
process, and the more paper used the better. Time and trouble may also 
be saved by laying the specimens in a folded sheet, and moving this bodily 
when changing the drying papers. In some cases a longitudinal section of 
the flower can be made with advantage, or some of the parts may be 
removed and dried separately, these being preferably put in small unglued 
envelopes in the final arrangement. In the case of small flowers, one or 
two should be removed from the inflorescence at the outset and treated in 
the same way. Of course labels must be written giving the name and any 
necessary details, with.a record of colour or anything that will not be shown 
by the dried specimen. The arrangement of the specimen can sometimes 
be improved at the first change of paper. 
MOUNTING and arrangement of the specimens will vary according to the 
end in view. If the object is a classified collection the specimens must be 
kept on separate sheets of uniform size, so as to permit of subsequent 
additions in their proper position. The size in use at Kew is 16} by 10} 
inches. The sheets themselves are most conveniently arranged in stout 
paper covers, suitably labelled and laid on the shelves of a cabinet, so that 
anything required can be taken out without displacing the others. With 
such an arrangement the specimens may be left loose on the sheets, though 
some method of mounting is ultimately desirable to prevent displacement. 
Both tickets and specimens may be neatly gummed to the sheet, arranging 
them so that the packets maintain a fairly uniform thickness. Many 
flowers can be secured in position by a few gum straps, but the more 
permanent form of mounting is preferable. 
Some protection against the attacks of mites and insects is necessary, and 
this is sometimes attained by placing lumps of camphor or naphthaline in the 
cabinets, though a more permanent and effective method is to brush the 
specimens lightly over with a little methylated spirit in which a small amount 
of corrosive sublimate has been dissolved (the proportion one ounce to a 
quart), and laying them aside for a short time to dry. They may then be 
regarded as permanently immune from insect attack. In some cases equal 
quantities of carbolic acid and corrosive sublimate are added to the spirit, 
but the former has sometimes a discolouring effect which is objectionable. 
Of course, corrosive sublimate, is a deadly poison, and the greatest care 
must be exercised in its use. 
These are the essentials of the process, and in the subsequent details of 
classification and arrangement the great point to be aimed at is facility of 
reference. And here an alphabetical sequence naturally suggests itself, 
