6o The size, direction and consistence of the plant. If it is a tree of some size, and if the traveller can sketch, it would be well to give a drawing of its form, especially for palms and other monocotyledons; common trees, if there is no sketch made or them, they may be compared to some of the best known trees in Europe;
7o Numbers should be written on the separate samples of the fruits, seeds, flowers, or wood of the same plant, which form the parcel the traveller sends, as well as on the samples of the same plant that he keeps and on his catalogue or journal, so that he can afterwards give accurate information of the plants he sends. These numbers should not be repeated during the same tour, but should form a series, to avoid confusion.
If the traveller can measure, or knows the height above the sea of the regions he travels over, he should add to the note relative to each plant a statement of the height where it was found; the exact height is not necessary. If he does not know the height, the omission can be partially remedied by the most remarkable and abundant vegetables that grow around[4].
Dry fruits should be sent in boxes with a label and number corresponding to that of the branch of the plant, in the herbal, to which they belong. All the dry fruits of too large size to be well preserved in herbals, should be collected separately, the ripest chosen, dried carefully and wrapped in paper. Those of palms, pandanus, zamia, conifers, proteacees, lecythidees, cucurbitacees, the leguminous family, the bignonias, bombacees, sterculiacees, especially deserve to be collected separately.
Pulpous fruits should be sent in weak alcohol at 18°, in acetic or pyro-liqueous acid dissolved in water, or in water saturated in marine salt, if these two first liquids can not be had, for the preservation of objects is much less certain and less perfect in this fluid. Each kind should be put in a separate jar and envelopped in cloth, flax or cotton, or if several kinds are put in the same jar, each kind should be put in separate bags with special labels.
Among the pulpy fruits that deserve to be collected, we shall particulary point out those of several palms, many of the Bromiliacees, resembling the ananas, aroidees, sapotees, and Diospyrees; several annonacees, the pulpy-fruited Capparidees, Papayers, the soft-fruited Cucurbitacees, Guthifers, Aurantiees.
It is desirable that flowers too delicate or too pulpy to be easily analysed when dry should be, also, sent in flasks of weak alcohol or acetic acid much weakened with water; such are those of the Orchides, Balisiers, Aroïdes, Asclepiades, and all other plants difficult to preserve in herbals. It is important to tie on the flask a label marked with the name of the plant, or at least, a number corresponding to that which bears in the herbal the sample of the plant to which the sample belongs. Labels on jars frequently falling off, it would be best to mark these jars with paint, or to put in each jar a bit of wood or parchment bearing the number, or a label written with crayon or ink, if the objects are in alcohol, or on thin pieces of lead marked with a knife. When several plants are put in the same jar, a label, thus marked, should be attached to each. Without this precaution, the collection is useless. Flowers of the different species should not be put in the same viol. If it is ever necessary, a label should be attached to each. Or they should be put in paper pasted together, with the necessary specifications on the envelope.
If there is neither viol nor alcohol, the flowers may be dried in the air without pressing, and then folded in paper and labelled; care should be taken to put them up, so that there may be no danger of pressure.
Entire specimens in flower and fruit of parasites with their roots and the root in which they are imbedded should be preserved in alcohol, or vinegar, or salt-water. Males and females of these plants, in which the sexes are generally separated, should be collected. These plants are generally remarkable for the absence of leaves, for their pulpy consistence and creeping character.
Herbals and fruits, when perfectly dry, should be put in tin, or, at least, well painted boxes so as to be beyond the reach of mice or insects.