72 A USTRALIAN BO TANK 



as possible, to destroy their vitality, which is so intense in 

 some kinds that they will continue to grow even after being 

 placed under a heavy pressure. 



In selecting specimens of large shrubs, trees, etc., take 

 if practicable a branchlet having young shoots besides 

 matured leaves. If flowers and fruit can be obtained on 

 the same spray, so much the better. In every instance be 

 careful to choose healthy specimens, thoroughly represen- 

 tative of the plants from which they spring; and on the 

 margin of the paper on which they are placed note at once 

 the name, when and where gathered, height of plant, and 

 all other remarks calculated to aid future reference. 



As the specimens are obtained, they should be carefully 

 laid in their natural positions on sheets of dry paper. 

 When enough have been obtained, the papers and their 

 contents must be placed between the pasteboard covers, 

 and tightly strapped; one strap being buckled across the 

 length and the other across the breadth of the boards. In 

 this manner they can be conveyed home for drying. 



Dryi?ig. — The same operation of packing may be repeated 

 for drying specimens, increasing the quantity of paper 

 between each layer. Place a board or any level substance 

 upon the top piece of pasteboard, and a weight of say 

 30 or 40 pounds upon that. Change the paper daily for 

 a week, drying it as changed to avoid waste. Delicate 

 plants should be placed between very thin paper. Thick 

 stems may be split, to flatten them. Care must be taken 

 to give plants their natural shape. When quite dry, the 

 specimens may be gummed or glued to sheets of dried 

 paper, but for botanical reference it would be better to leave 

 them loose. 



