The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-04-28


care are like the books In library,
practically indestructible. The dangers
to be guarded against are dampness, in
sects and light. The dampness means de-
cay, the attack of insects means annihi-
lation, and the exposure to light means
in many instances fading or disco1oration,
Consequently, when a specimen is secur-
ed, it is first thoroughly dried by being
placed between sheets of blotting paper,
which are changed at least once or twice
a day. This process must be continued
usually for week, although it has been
learned by experiment that the more
rapidly the specimen can be dried the bet
ter its color will be preserved. After all
the moisture has been drawn out OF it
the specimen is dipped iNo corrosive sub
Innate, which serves to guard it against
the attacks of insects. The destruction
of many of the earlier herbariums by
these pests has shown the necessity of
seine such poisonous solution, whether
corrosive sublimate or arsenic
The cases now used are sufficiently
tight to keep out the light but with all
possible care the leaves of some families
of trees turn black in drying. However,
the color is of minor Importance, as the
bGtanist in his studies depends more on
the shape and structure of the leaves and
blossoms and their arrangement upon the
stem than upon shades of color. Very
often the seeds of the tree or shrub are
attached to the specimen sheet in an en-
vel0pe, but where this is not pc acticable
on account Of bulk, as in the case Of
nuts, acorns, or pine cones, they are ar
ranged Systematically in boxes at the end
OF the tier of cases devoted to the records
of the family in which they are included.
Each nut is carefully numbered to pre-
vent displacement and consequent con-
fusion. The cones of fir trees and the
leaves of hemlock and spruce are diff
cult to preserve since they are apt to faJl
apart when perfectly dry. BY carefully
Slu1ng the latter to a sheet of paper,
however, it is possible to preserve their
general appearance in spite of this ten
dency and with the cones the same end is
obtained by wrapping them with wire.
Palm leaves which are SO large as to be
uAWleldy are pceserveds and studied in
sections. In the old European herba
rum it was customary to keen speci-
mems loose between folded sheets of pa
per or to attach them to single sheets
with paper bands. 1t has been found To
be better plan to glue the specimens
oodlly to the sheets, as they are thus
more enduring and more easily handled
AS dictionary which is arranged In
alphabetical order needs no index. so a
herbar1um arranged like that at the Ar
poretum according to a scientific classi
Hcatlon is Its own catalogue. The order
oI arrangement is the same as that in
the gardens of the Arboretum proper. he
ginning with the trees which have the
most highly developed blossoms. like
magnolia, tulip trees and lindens and
continuing in botanical sequence to hem
ICcKS, SpruceS, frs ard Iarches There
are index cards on the cases as a mater
OF convenience, but just as a reader turns
at once to the part of the dictionary he
desires TO consult, so the botanist finds
what he wants in this natural dictionary
without appreciate loss of time.
The herbarium of woody plants at the
Arnold Arboretum belongs, like the GRAY
herbarium, to Harvard university and
represents very largely the personal
work CT Mr.. Charles S, Sargent and 9TH
ers connected with the garden d1rine,
the past twenty-five years. Mr.. Sargent
has collected specimens from every -sart
OF North Am ericaS north Of Mexico. and
IN Japan and Europe; few botanists. in
oeed' have Travelled more widely and con-
stantly. Many specimens h ave been Civ.
en- to the herbarium and qnanA-~ Others
have been obtained by exchange with
other herbariums, both in this country
and abroad Every year 5, 0cO ort40O
specimens are added, and while the 76
cases probably contain in the neighbor-
hooo OF 100,e00 specimen sheets the exact
number has never beenareckeneds up:
From all over the country and al over
the world, the director of the 4herbarinm
is constantly receiving specimens which
he is called upon TO Identify. In, this Wav
many specimens are added tozthe acolIec-
llCh ana many people, interested either
scientifically or practically are inform
ed as to the true names OF the trees and
SHRUBS growing under their observation
Pafk superintendent and LANDSCAPE gar
ceners especially are frequently ANNOYED
by the mistakes Of nomenclature in the
catalogues of nirsery1nen, and sSnearlv
every day the herbariuTn is utilizeJ 10
clear up, to the advantage of parks and
pubic grounds, some confusion of names
"here exactness is OF particular impor-
tance. The connection OF the nerbariGm
and the living garden AT the Arboretum
IS, OF course, most useful Not only does
the former offer an opportunity for the
advanced botaniSt to pursue his studies
all the year round without interruption
out IN many ways it supplements and is
supplemented by the Arboretum For ons
thlng, It provides a permanent record Of
all the tree-growing experiments Again,
when seeds of a doubtful species are re-
ce1ved from any temperate region, they
can he planted at once in the grounds of
the Arboretum, and when the tree or
shrub appears. it can be Immediately
classified and named by reference to the
herbarium.
Unlike the Arboretum itself, however.
in which only such trees as can stand
the cold winters of the New England
states can be grown, the aherbarium aims
to include all woody plants whatsoever.
whether from the trepic, the temperate, or
the arctic countries. Naturally, never
theless, the herDarfum is strongest in the
field which is common to. both the in
door and the outdoor work of theSin-
stitution 1t is now practically. compiete
in it's representation Of the woody plants