C 38 ] 



"a camel-hair pencil into fpirit-varnim (h)> and 

 Ci varnifh the whole furface of the plant two or 

 <f three times over. This method fucceeds very 

 "well with plants that are readily laid flat; 

 <f and it preferves their colours better than any 

 " other." 



However beautiful a collection of dried plants 

 may appear in the form of a hortus-ficcus, yet 

 where duplicates can be procured, it would be 

 acceptable to receive plants both in flower, and 

 in feed, dried in a carelefs manner, without nice- 

 ty in expanding their foliage : by this means 

 lome of the flowers have been preferved more 

 entire ; and afforded the botanift the moft accu- 

 rate characters of the plant, which by expo- 

 fure to the vapour of hot water, or being foak- 

 ed in lukewarm water itfelf, has expanded, and 

 exhibited the parts of fructification in the moft 

 perfect ft ate. 



The feeds of a plant collected when they are 

 ripe, will in a hoitus-ficcus, long retain their ve- 

 getative powers, and many of our valuable plants 

 have thus been cafually introduced. It is well 

 known, that the firft green-tea-tree poffeffed by 

 this country, was raifed by the late John Ellis 

 Efq. from a feed picked out of a cannifter of 

 tea. 



(£)The fpirit-varnifli maybe made of a quart of highly-refli- 

 fied fpirit of wine, five ounces of gum fandarach, two ounces 

 ©f maftich in drops, one ounce of pale gum elemi, and one 

 ounce of oil of fpike lavender : thefe are to ftand in a 

 warm place, and be Ihook frequently, to expedite the folu- 

 tlm of the gum. 



The 



