INTRODUCTION. 51 



Mr. Battley, who has paid much attention to this subject, gives the following 

 directions. " The leaves being in a high state of preservation, and entirely 

 freed from the stalks, and as much as possible from external moisture, must 

 be laid in thin layers in baskets of willow stripped of its bark, in a drying 

 room, from which light is to be excluded. They should then be exposed to 

 a temperature of not less than 130° to 140° F. for three or four hours, or 

 until they begin to shrivel. They are then to be turned, in the same tempe- 

 rature, and the heat kept up for six or eight hours longer, when the operation 

 is generally finished, which is known by the leaves crumbling without much 

 difficulty in the hand. If the process has been in all its parts properly ma- 

 naged, the result will be, that the leaves retain a beautiful green colour, and 

 also, in a high degree, the medical properties of the plant to which they be- 

 long." (Lond. Med. Repos. xiv. 429.) They are to be kept in proper ves- 

 sels, and carefully excluded from light and moisture. If they are to be used 

 in the form of powder, it is better to powder them as soon as they are pro- 

 perly dried, and to preserve the powder in well-closed opaque bottles. 



Flowers. It is very difficult to dry flowers so as to keep both their colour 

 and odour. Some are incapable of complete desiccation, without at the 

 same time destroying their active qualities. Others may be dried with fa- 

 cility and without deterioration, in the manner directed for leaves. To pre- 

 serve both flowers and leaves, the plan of compressing them, as practised by 

 the Shakers, answers a very good purpose; by this mode many leaves and 

 flowers are kept in a very efficient condition ; but it is essential that they be 

 deprived of moisture before they are subjected to the pressure, otherwise they 

 become mouldy and deteriorated. 



An excellent paper on the preservation of plants and their preparations 

 will be found in the American Journal of Pharmacy, i. 268, by the late Mr. 

 Duhamel, to which we would refer, as containing ample information on the 

 subject. 



