12 



METHOD OF SECURING PLANTS 



Wherever there are tide-mills in the neighbourhood, 

 they should occasionally be visited. The mill-dam, the 

 sluices, and wherever there is running water, will always 

 afford many good varieties ; and the collector should 

 bear in mind that these are best attained at neap-tides. 



Although, as has been before stated, a great number 

 of species are occasionally to be met with, scattered on 

 the shore, which have been thrown up by the sea ; yet 

 the zealous algologist, who aims at possessing a com- 

 plete and superior collection, will scarcely rest satisfied 

 with these methods only of obtaining his supplies. 



As he finds his stock gradually accumulating, he 

 will be stimulated to make further efforts to add to 

 it ; and particularly when, on looking over the list of 

 species, he is struck with the disagreeable fact, that 

 there is still a great number deficient. During the 

 spring tides, in the course of his exploratory rambles, 

 he will observe, even at extreme low-water mark, many 

 beautiful varieties, growing either in deep pools of water 

 or in places quite out of reach ; and it will occasionally 

 happen that these are rare species, or such as he is much 

 in want of. In order to be prepared for such an exigen- 

 cy, I generally carry with me a stout walking-stalk, to 

 the end of which, when I arrive at the water-side, I screw 

 on an instrument somewhat resembling that which gar- 

 deners are in the habit of using for cutting up weeds. 

 By this means, I am enabled to detach and secure 



