Use two or three strong rubber bands to hold the packet together. Place paper towels or sheets of newspaper between them. Put collected specimens between the towels or newspaper. Hold the packet together with two or three stout rubber bands. Use a covered cardboard, plastic or light metal box of convenient size.
Place specimens on a moist sponge or newspaper in the box as they are collected.
Keep the box in the coolest surroundings possible until the specimens can be placed in a press. The first condition is a satisfactory press. An easily made press is the cardboard press described under Keeping Your Materials Fresh. Use corrugated cardboard and cut the pieces so that all corrugations run the same direction. If possible, obtain enough blotting paper to have at least one sheet for each plant that is expected to be in the press at any one time.