22 



METHOD OF LAYING OUT 



branches, which, if left, would only tend greatly to 

 diminish the beauty of the specimen, and give it a very 

 unsightly appearance when dried. Here the forceps 

 serve in the place of a pair of scissors ; and you can 

 with them at once disengage all superfluous portions. 

 I w r ould here recommend the young algologist not to be 

 sparing in pruning his plants, whenever it is required, 

 as they always present a much neater appearance when 

 laid out moderately thin. Besides, the fruit will be 

 hotter shown, and the species more easily recognized. 



The specimen being now properly arranged to your 

 satisfaction, and kept as nearly as possible in the cen- 

 tre of the paper, it is to be gently raised from the 

 water while still remaining on your hand, which must 

 be inclined a little on one side for a short time, to 

 allow the superabundant water to run off. It is then to 

 be placed on one of the folded sheets of the coarser kind 

 of drying-paper, where it must remain whilst you pro- 

 ceed to operate in a similar manner with other speci- 

 mens, until there is no further space left on the blotting- 

 paper. You now take a piece of thin calico, cambric 

 muslin, or some other similar material, and place it 

 carefully and very smoothly over the plants, and over 

 that another folded sheet of drying-paper, upon which 

 other plants are to be laid, in the manner before de- 

 scribed. A reasonable number of layers of plants, say 

 from eight to ten, being prepared, with pieces of calico 



