AND DBTINGr THE PLANTS. 



25 



uncertain as to the time of their appearance, and may 

 be found earlier or later in some seasons than in others. 



The young beginner, as well as the more experienced 

 collector, ewill sometimes stumble upon a plant he has 

 never seen before, and consequently will not be able to 

 name it ; and he may also be unprovided with a micro- 

 scope sufficiently powerful to examine it, in order to 

 establish its identity. 



In this case, it is desirable that he should forward 

 the specimen, with as little delay as possible, to some 

 competent and scientific algologist, for a more elaborate 

 investigation, as the structure of most plants by which 

 their genera and species are determined, are far more 

 easily made out whilst they are fresh, and recently 

 gathered, than after being dried * It is therefore advis- 

 able that any plant of doubtful character should, as soon 

 as practicable after being removed from its place of 

 growth, or wherever it may have been found, be forth- 

 with placed between two pieces of rag, and afterwards 



* It is often very difficult to examine the structure of 

 the finer species, except immediately after being fresh ga- 

 thered ; but, should circumstances render this impracti- 

 cable, in consequence of the plants having been already 

 dried, a small fragment of the specimen must be moistened 

 with water ; and if the sections do not open well, by adding 

 a drop of muriatic acid you will find they will expand very 

 freely. 



