468 
PHYTOGRAPHY. 
BOOK IV. 
after which you can examine them, from time to time, as oppor- 
tunities may occur : in the herbarium above named, there i? 
about 300 species thus laid by for consideration. Afterwards, 
when leisure permits, those generic covers in which there 
appears to be the greatest accumulation of loose specimens 
should be examined, the species compared and sorted, new 
species glued upon fresh half-sheets of paper, and duplicates 
taken out. The advantage of this plan is, that, under any cir- 
cumstances, if it is wished to consult a particular order, all 
the materials you possess will be found, in some state or other, 
collected into one place. I am persuaded, that if this simple 
method were attended to, the confusion now so common in 
herbaria, and which renders so many of them almost useless, 
would never exist. 
Fruits, if large, will be placed loose on shelves, in cases 
with glass fronts; or, if smaller, in little bottles, in which 
also seeds should be preserved; each fruit or bottle being 
labelled, and the whole arranged according to natural order. 
Specimens of wood may be conveniently combined with a car- 
pological collection, and arranged on the same plan. When 
the sections of wood are very large, as is sometimes the case, 
there may be an extra compartment at the base of the case, in 
which they can be placed. 
The cases in which the specimens are arranged may be 
made of any well-seasoned timber; mahogany is best; but 
pine wood will answer the purpose. They should consist of 
little closets, of a size convenient for moving from place to 
place ; of which, two, placed one on the other, will form a 
tier. Each closet should have folding doors, and its shelves 
should be in two rows : the distance from shelf to shelf 
should be six inches. The sides and ends of the closets 
should be made of | in. board ; but for the shelves f in. is 
sufficient. 
To preserve plants against the depredations of insects, by 
which, especially the little Anobium castaneum, they are apt 
to be much infested, it has been recommended to wash each 
specimen with a solution of corrosive sublimate in campho- 
rated spirits of wine ; but, independently of this being a doubt- 
ful mode of preservation, it is expensive, and, in large collec- 
