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Seeds of an oily nature may be packed in sand, if they have to 
undergo long transportation. Fruits must be preserved inspirits. 
A section of the trunk of any rare or interesting tree should 
be obtained. If the tree be not more than a foot in diameter, 
a section of the whole trunk may be preserved ; if the diameter 
be greater, then the fourth or less quantity will be sufficient, 
being careful, however, always to embrace the pith, and to 
preserve the bark attached to the specimen. Its height or thick¬ 
ness may be about four inches. Labels should accompany each, 
as full in description as for the specimens of plants. 
MINERAL KINGDOM. 
Geology .—The object of a geological specimen is to show 
the general character of the rock, clay, sand, or marl of some 
particular spot, bed, or formation. It should, therefore, have 
the very reverse of a curious or anomalous character, at the 
place where obtained. In other words, it should represent the 
most common characters in the formation to which it belongs, 
and should always be selected from rocks, clay, &c., in situ or 
fixed position. Specimens of geology that are solid should be 
of as uniform a size as possible ; not too large, as their weight 
will be objectionable for transportation, nor too small to show 
the general character of the formation. They should be as near 
as possible as follows: six inches long, four wide, and one 
thick. 
It should be recollected that a mere collection of specimens 
is of very limited importance, if unaccompanied with other in¬ 
formation necessary to elucidate the condition under which the 
formation exists. The collector should, therefore, ascertain, as 
far as possible, the thickness of the formation represented by 
each specimen; whether it is horizontal, twisted, or inclined. 
The latter is called, dip, and can only be properly judged of by 
seeing the bed on several of its edges, as in the bluffs of a 
crooked river or creek. This dip should be stated in degrees, 
counting from the horizontal, and the direction given by the 
compass. He should ascertain if there be any fossils, as shells 
impression of vegetables, fishes, or the like, in any of the strata; 
and, if so, obtain as many of them as possible, and be careful 
