THE COLLECTING AND DRYING OF PLANTS 93 
THE COLLECTING AND DRYING OF PLANTS 
By E. Battiscombe 
It is proposed to form a Herbarium in the Society’s Museum ; 
and in order that it should be thoroughly representative it is 
hoped that members will make collections in as many different 
parts of the Protectorate as possible. 
It is absolutely essential for the determination of any species 
that the specimens collected should show all the growing parts, 
i.e. stem, leaves, flowers and fruit, and with each specimen 
should be a note recording the locality, approximate altitude, 
season of flowering ; whether herb, bush, tree or climber, &c. ; 
also, whenever possible, the vernacular name and any uses the 
plant may be put to by the natives, or any superstition that 
may be attached to it should be recorded. 
Every endeavour will be made to identify any specimens 
sent in by members, but it must be borne in mind that the 
Flora of Tropical Africa is as yet but little known and a very 
great number of our common plants, grasses, and ferns have 
not yet been described or been named. 
It is therefore necessary to send duplicate specimens of 
nearly all plants collected to the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, 
for identification. 
Below is given the ‘ Hints for Collecting and Drying Plants ’ 
issued from the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. 
4 Hints for Collecting and Drying Plants 
4 In preserving plants for permanent collections, the object 
is to prepare specimens in such a manner that they may be 
thoroughly dried, the colours as far as possible retained, and 
such a degree of pressure given that they do not curl up in 
drying. For this purpose a quantity of paper is necessary, 
brown or stout grey, moderately absorbent, of ordinary demy 
size (17 inches by 11) when folded. 
4 Two boards (or better, stout frames of wire-grating) are 
requisite, of the size of the paper, one for the top, the other 
