METHOD OF PRESERVING PLANTS. 
45 
The buds of the trees and shrubs of equinoctial countries, have 
few scales, as they are less needed for protection against inclem- 
encies of weather. 
Leaves are the lungs of vegetables ; they absorb water and 
carbonic acid from the atmosphere, decompose them by the 
action of rays of light, and exhale or give out oxygen gas. 
They are usually connected at the base by a kind of stem called 
a. petiole, are sometimes accompanied by stipules, appendages 
similar to little leaves. 
Vegetables, like other organized beings, produce others of 
their kind, and thus perpetuate the works of creation. The or- 
gans essential to the perfection of plants, are the stamens and 
pistils. Those plants in which the stamens and pistils are 
manifest, are called Phenogamous ; where thesearerathersuspect- 
ed than demonstrated to exist, they are called Cryptogamous. The 
presence of a stamen and pistil constitutes a perfect flower ; 
but in general these are surrounded with an envelope called the 
corolla, and an outer one called the calyx. Persons ignorant of 
botany give exclusively the name of flower to these envelopes, 
which are often remarkable for the brilliancy of their colours, 
the elegance of their forms, and the fragrance of their perfumes. 
METHOD OF PRESERV ING PLANTS. 
and of preparing an herbarium. 
Plants collected for analysis, may be preserved fresh many days in a 
close tin box, by occasionally sprinkling’ them with water ; they may also 
be preserved by placing their stems in water, but not as well by the latter, 
as the former method. While attending to the science of Botany, you 
should keep specimens of all the plants you can procure. An herbarium 
neatly arranged is beautiful, and may be rendered highly useful, by af- 
fording an opportunity to compare many species together, and it likewise 
serves to fix in the mind the characters of plants. It is a good method in 
collecting plants for an herbarium, to have a port-folio, or a book in which 
they may be placed before the parts begin to wilt. Specimens should be 
placed between the leaves of paper, either newspaper or any other kind 
which is of a loose texture, and will easily absorb the moisture of the plants; 
a board with a weight upon it should then be placed upon the paper contain- 
ing them ; the plants should be taken out frequently at first ; as often as 
once or twice a day, and the paper dried, or the plants placed between other 
dry leaves. Small plants may be dried between the leaves of a book. 
Plants differ in the length of time required for drying as they are more 
or less juicy ; some dry in a few days, others not sooner than two or three 
weeks. When the specimens are dry, and a sufficient number collected to 
commence an herbarium, a book should be procured, composed of blank 
Leaves — Phenogamous and Cryptogamous plants — Method of preserving 
plants — of preparing an herbarium. — 
