Or Hortus Siccus. r T8§ 
thick, of fine dry sand, covered with another layer of 
the same thickness, on which another sheet of paper 
with plants is placed, and another layer of sand, till the 
box be full. The box is then set near a fire for two or 
three days, or till the plants be sufficiently dried. 
Some vegetables are so tenacious of the vital princi- 
ple, that they continue to grow during the process of 
drying ; and others, as the heaths and firs, throw off 
their leaves. The immersion of the fresh specimen in. 
boiling water, or the application of a hot-iron, coun- 
teracts both these effects ; but even with every precau- 
tion, the colours of flowers, and the appearance of the 
leaves of many plants, undergo very great changes. 
Some yellow colours retain all their brilliancy and 
beauty ; while others, as well as the whole plant, be- 
come black by drying. Blue colours generally fade ; 
reds are not always permanent ; and the natural aspect 
of most white flowers is altered. 
When the specimens are dried, they are best pre- 
served by securing them on paper with weak carpen- 
ter’s glue, that they may be turned over without injury. 
When the stems are thick and heavy, the additional 
support of transverse slips of paper is necessary. A half- 
sheet of paper of a suitable size is to be allotted to each 
species ; or when the species occupies little-room, two 
or more may be put upon the same half-sheet ; and all 
the species belonging to the same genus are collected 
into one or more whole sheets ; on the latter of which 
the name of the genus is written, and on the corner the 
name of the species, its place of growth, and other cir- 
cumstances connected with its history. The specimens 
thus collected and arranged, are placed on shelves'in a 
