170 OF THE FERNS AND FLOWERING PLANTS. 



parations, and yet every one of them is dried in the manner 

 I have just been describing. The truth is, that every mode 

 of preparation depends greatly upon the foresight, the 

 patience, and the handiness of the operator ; and impatient, 

 unskilful workers will make a failure with even the best of 

 means at their command. 



An arrangement advocated by Auerswald has much to 

 recommend it. I cannot speak of it from my own experience, 

 but I feel bound to mention it for the benefit of those who 

 make long botanical excursions, and collect large quantities 

 of plants, as it is likely to save them both time and labour. 

 In the ordinary method of drying, where the sheets are 

 placed between two boards, the upper and lower sides not ' 

 being exposed to a current of air, the moisture can escape 

 only through the open edges of the paper. The conse- 

 quence is, that a large quantity of paper is wanted, and 

 a good deal of time is consumed in the preparation. 

 Auerswald' s object is to economise both these important 

 requisites — time and material ; and he accomplishes it in 

 this manner : — Instead of two solid boards he provides 

 himself with a couple of iron frames of a size to suit the 

 paper ; they should be light and thin, but at the same time 

 strong enough to allow of being strapped tightly together 

 without bending : wire netting is stretched across them, and 

 on each of their longer sides two loops are fastened for the 

 leather straps to pass through. In the middle of one of 

 the shorter sides a ring is attached for the convenience of 

 carrying the parcel, or in order to suspend it in the open 

 air and sunshine. 



Now, as the moisture contained in the plants can readily 

 escape on every side, it stands to reason that the work is 

 done much more quickly, and the traveller is saved both 

 the time consumed in shifting his plants, and also the heavy 

 load, which he must otherwise carry about with him. 

 Doubtless many succulent plants will not come out so well 

 under these circumstances as they would with the con- 



