14 
INTRODUCTION 
Spread out the specimens as naturally as possible. If many leaves 
etc. overlap, place bits of drying paper between them. If stems have to 
be cut, mark the corresponding ends by stars on the paper. Spread out 
some flowers, leave others unspread, and divide some in the antero- 
posterior plane. Divide some fruits lengthwise and crosswise. 
Arrange the specimens on the sheets so that they form a steady pile 
without lumps in the middle. Place a lattice upon every five inches of 
specimens. When all are ready place in the press and draw the straps 
as tight as possible, or better, place about 60 lbs. weight upon it. 
Tighten the straps as the plants shrink. 
Change the drying papers at least once daily : dry the used paper in 
the sun or by the fire, and use warm driers where possible. See that 
petals &c. do not stick to the paper : if necessary put slips of tissue 
paper under them. 
In changing the papers, put the outer specimens inside, so that all 
shall dry evenly. Drying should be as rapid as possible to prevent loss 
of colour, blackening, &c. 
Fully dried plants no longer feel cold on the cheek, and are stiff and 
brittle. 
Dried specimens should be poisoned by a brief immersion in 2 °/o 
solution of mercuric chloride in alcohol. They should then be dried in 
the air, mounted (wdth glue) or laid between sheets of paper, and tied 
up in wax- cloth with a little naphthalin to keep out insects. 
Material for subsequent microscopic examination or for museums 
must usually be preserved in alcohol. Cut into small portions, attach label 
(best of zinc written on with solution of platinic chloride, but paper and 
pencil or Indian ink will do temporarily) ; place in methylated spirit for 
a few days, wrapped in muslin, and finally preserve in large tin. A few 
inches of spirit at the bottom, enough to keep all specimens moist when 
the tin is soldered, will suffice for most material. Specimens for embryo- 
logical, delicate histological, cytological, and other investigations, and 
delicate plants or organs, must be separately preserved from the first in 
absolute alcohol in bottles or tubes. Labels should be put inside these. 
Contents of bottles may be written on the ground surface of the stoppers, 
so as to be legible through the neck. 
Museum material may also be preserved in formalin (1 part of 
ordinary solution to 10 or more of water). Some special preservatives, 
e.g . picric and chromic acids, are used in special cases. 
Specimens illustrative of economic uses of plants and their products 
should be collected in less known districts, e.g . samples of gums, resins, 
caoutchoucs, oils, fibres, timbers (portions of trunks, or slabs 8x4x4 
inches), food-products, drugs, dyes, tans, &c. In all cases the exact 
origin of the product should be verified, and herbarium specimens 
taken, bearing numbers to correspond with those placed on the 
products. 
From less known countries, endeavour to bring back living seeds 
(ripe, well dried, packed in charcoal in tins if to be long kept), bulbs 
(gathered when dry and with withered leaves), succulent plants (gathered 
dry and loosely packed), living plants (planted in earth in Wardian 
cases or sometimes in bamboo pots, if possible some weeks before 
moving). 
