IDENTIFICATION AND PRESERVATION 35 
A little practice only is required to enable anyone to follow 
out the distinctions and connections between the different 
groups, and then the ferns will be found to form one of the 
most beautiful, interesting, and easily understood orders of 
our South African flora. 
Besides cultivating ferns, a most interesting method of 
preserving them is, as dried specimens, in the form of an 
herbarium. 
For this purpose perfect plants, nearly mature, should be 
selected, and placed at once between sheets of paper — sufficient 
paper being used to absorb all the moisture in the plant. With 
the larger kinds one frond only, or even part of a frond, can 
be kept instead of a whole plant, but any peculiarity such as 
a running rhizome, a scaly crown, or a tree stem, should if 
possible be shown or noted. 
The paper may require to be changed several times before 
the specimen is dry, and a pressure sufficient to keep the 
frond flattened is required all along. When dry, the specimen 
should be mounted on uniform sheets of stiff paper, or in a 
book, fixed by strips of gummed paper, or by threads sewed 
through, and furnished with a label stating the name of the 
fern, where and when found, kind of locality, and any other 
particulars of interest. Many botanists fix their specimens 
to the paper with gum, and in whichever manner they are 
fixed, they ought to be poisoned to keep away insects. 
Such a collection is easily formed, and when once in order 
remains for many years — to its maker an object of interest ; 
to his friend a proof of his perseverance ; and not unfre- 
quently to both a reminder of happy holidays spent in one 
another’s company long ago. 
3—2 
