double-burner gas stove. Metal plates laid on the burners keep the flame 
from reaching the plants on the shelves, catch dropping larvae and other 
debris, and help to diffuse the heat. In this simple drying-box a surface 
of about forty square feet is available for distributing at one time 
material to be dried over a single source of heat. Moreover, the speci¬ 
mens can be placed near the heater or at a distance according to their size 
and character. The temperature can be varied at need, and being always, 
of course, far below the ignition point, does not threaten any labels or 
other papers placed with the specimens. In this box plants dry in from 
four to ten hours, usually, according to their moisture and fleshiness. On 
removal from the drying-box each collection with its label is wrapped 
temporarily in paper, and the packages, poisoned, if necessary, are left to 
await convenience for the final treatment, which can be given them in 
the winter. In this the first step is to moisten slightly the dried 
material. For this purpose the collections are placed on moistened 
“driers” (thick sheets of felted paper) on slat shelves in a box hung 
round within with damp cloths. In the moist atmosphere of the wet- 
box the plants in a few hours become so flexible that they can be shaped 
by the fingers and placed in press without fear of injury. In pressing 
care is taken not to flatten the specimens out completely so as to destroy, 
for instance, the natural appearance of the gills. They are flattened only 
enough to pack economically between herbarium sheets. When com¬ 
pletely dry the specimens are mounted in special envelopes, each of 
which bears its appropriate label. The envelopes are then mounted on 
sheets^ which are assembled in genus-covers, to be placed in the pigeon¬ 
holes of the cases, just acquired, where they will be available at any 
time for reference. 
Labels. 
The value of such a collection rests on two points : — first, on the com¬ 
pleteness with which the prepared specimen represents the essential 
characteristics of the living plant; second, on the fulness and accuracy 
of the information recorded on its label,—for a specimen without a 
satisfactory label, however useful for study, is valueless as a record. 
Now, since our present business is largely that of completing the record 
of the occurrence of our native fungi, it can be readily seen that any con¬ 
tributor to the Club collection who wishes to be really helpful, rests 
under a definite obligation. Though interesting fungi are never unwel¬ 
come, they are of permanent value only when accompanied with the 
following data: i, the name of the town and state in which the plant was 
found; 2, the date of the collection; 3, the name of the collector; 4, a 
* 
brief note of the nature of the plant’s habitat (soil, host, surrounding 
vegetation, elevation, etc.), of its habit of growth, and of its abundance. 
In the case of unusual plants, much fuller notes should be taken. A 
print of the spores should also accompany the specimen when possible. 
CLUB HEADQUARTERS. 
The Club’s collections are at present housed in a rear room of the Cam¬ 
bridge Botanical Supply Co., in a space about twenty feet by eight, for 
which the Club pays at the rate of forty dollars a year. Here are the dry¬ 
ing-box, the wet-box, the cases, temporary boxes, shelves bearing bulky 
specimens (polypores, etc.) in wooden boxes, other shelves bearing bottles 
containing specimens in formalin or in alcohol, a bench, a table, and all 
working appliances, supplies, and stores. 
If not commodious or quite convenient, this headquarters answers fairly 
the present needs of the herbarium and will, perhaps, for some time 
