24 
NATURE NOTES 
dry hot air of a sitting-room ; and others are far less effective 
when placed in a vase, or when seen by artificial light. Wild 
hyacinths, for instance, suffer a sad change of hue in the latter 
case. It ought to be unnecessary to suggest that no one should 
pick flowers if they do not intend to take them home, but 
merely to litter the road-side with their withering remains. 
Such perennials as cowslips, daisies, or buttercups, prim- 
roses, marsh-marigolds, and violets, are not likely to suffer from 
our gathering bunches of their blossoms, if we are careful not 
to root up the plants. We may make our daisy-chains or 
cowslip-balls with impunity ; and, though the buttercups will 
probably flag, they will revive gloriously in a bowl of water. 
In case plants may be but loosely rooted in the soil, 
it is better to cut them than to pick them, and it is a good 
plan to carry a small pair of scissors for this purpose and a shavp 
knife for any spray we may want to take from a woody plant. 
If we want to gather water plants, an iron hook, with part of 
its inner edge sharpened, affixed to walking stick or umbrella, 
will prove useful. 
The student may be reminded that now-a-days much of what 
is most interesting about a plant may — nay must — be observed 
before it is gathered. We require, for instance, to notice the 
soil and aspect in which it is growing, its relative abundance 
as compared with its associated species, its insect and bird 
visitors, and the working of any contrivances it may exhibit for 
pollination or seed-dispersal. Even if we are collecting for a 
local or school museum, or for the less defensible private 
herbarium, it is only in a few cases — and then only with one 
specimen of a species — that it is necessary to uproot the plant. 
It is desirable to examine the tubercles of the Lesser Celandine, 
the bulb of Ranunculus bulbosus, the nodulose root of Spiraea 
Filipendula, and the differing characters of the species of (Enanthe. 
In the interests of our own future studies and of those of others 
we should be very chary of sacrificing the bulbs of a Gagea or 
the tubercles of an Ophrys. On the other hand, if our specimen 
is to be of any scientific value it is desirable to have a root-leaf 
as well as those on the stem, a bud, if possible, as well as a 
flower, and in very many cases a ripe fruit also. It may often 
be necessary to label the specimens as we gather them, for 
which purpose a stock of gummed labels should be carried. 
It has been observed that flowers wither more rapidly in the 
hands of some people than in those of others ; and probably they 
would be less likely to fade when held in gloved hands than 
when the hands are bare. The scientific student, however, will 
probably carry either a japanned vasculum or a portable press. 
As to the former, I can only remark that it may be packed very 
full, but should not be allowed to get heated by the sun, unless 
a few drops of water be inside it to vaporise. A light and 
effective press may be made of two double thicknesses of mill- 
board covered by a book-binder on both sides with American 
