Preparation of Specimens.
Once plant specimens have been collected
they must be dried, pressed
and disinfested before they can
be mounted on herbarium sheets.
The drying prevents deterioration of
the material, and is often started in
the field by placing each specimen in
a newspaper folder.
The pressing of the specimens is also
started in the field by stacking the newspaper
folders in a plant press.
On return to the laboratory the specimens
will be examined, sorted, re-arranged
in their folders and the field notes checked.
They will then be restacked in the presses
and subjected to proper drying.
When the specimens have dried in the
laboratory sufficiently they will be decontaminated
by deep freezing for a week to kill all
stages of insects with which they may
be infested.
After this treatment, mounting
and identification may take place. Often
it is better to identify the specimens
before mounting, as it is easier to examine
parts under the microscope then.
