Collecting Flowering Plants and Ferns. 3 



pensive one, which will answer all practical purposes, consists of two 

 pieces of heavy binder's board 12 by IT inches. These are held to- 

 gether by a single strap or by two straps, which may be tied or 

 buckled together and passed over the shoulder. The press described 

 in the next paragraph may also be used for field work when not many 

 plants are to be collected. 



The press. — Experience has shown that the best type of press is 

 that shown in figure 1, which measures 12 by 17 inches. This is made 

 of ash slats, three-quarters of an inch wide and three-sixteenths of 

 an inch thick, securely fastened at the ends and the points of inter- 

 section with short brass nails, known as escutcheon pins, which will 

 not rust. The spaces between the slats allow the escape of moisture 



Fig. 1. — Collecting box, pick, and press. 



and prevent the plants from blackening in drying. Two stout leather 

 trunk straps may be used for strapping the press, additional holes 

 being bored to permit adjustment to any desired capacity of the press. 

 The type of trunk strap made of web or fiber, having a buckle with 

 a flat corrugated tongue, is better than a leather strap, as it can be 

 secured at any point in its length. 



Driers. — The best driers are those made of very heavy gray blot- 

 ting paper, cut to llj by 16J inches. Felt carpet paper of the same 

 size may be used, but it is less bibulous and proves less satisfactory in 

 drying plants quickly. When plants are collected in quantity, pieces 

 of corrugated strawboard of the same size as the driers will be found 

 of great advantage, as by their use the press is so thoroughly venti- 

 lated that only a single change of driers is required. They should 



