COLLECTION AND PRESERVATION OF SPECIMENS. 71 



a botanizing excursion ; but the object is to obtain speci- 

 mens with as little apparatus as possible. A good stout 

 pocket-knife, having a broad strong blade, and a small 

 sharp one, will be found very serviceable. The large blade 

 will be useful for digging up small specimens, removing 

 mosses and lichens, etc. ; while the sharp blade must be 

 employed in cutting off sprays or branchlets from large 

 plants. Two pieces of thick pasteboard, say a foot long by 

 ten inches broad, and a few dozen pieces of paper of the 

 same size, will be necessary. The experience of the author 

 in plant-collecting (sometimes under very unfavourable 

 circumstances for the purpose) points to the fact that, 

 as a matter of expediency, old newspapers will be found 

 very serviceable for placing the specimens between. They 

 must, however, be thoroughly dry. Two straps (with 

 buckles) long enough to admit of being drawn tightly round 

 the pasteboard covers with their contents, will complete the 

 inexpensive equipment of the collector. 



If the desired specimen happens to be a small, slender 

 plant, a few inches only in length, it may be preserved 

 entire. In such a case, the broad blade of the pocket-knife 

 should be used to dig it up by the roots, working round the 

 latter in such a manner as to avoid injuring them. The 

 roots should be well shaken, and carefully washed as soon 

 as possible. Grasses and similar slender plants may be 

 folded as many times as may be necessary ; a stitch in the 

 paper, loosely made with coarse thread, will temporarily 

 hold the folds in their places. In the case of ferns, two 

 fronds at least should be obtained. Some orchids and most 

 succulent plants are difficult to preserve — such plants should 

 be dipped in boiling w T ater (excepting the flowers) as speedily 



