in botany, that part of a plant which is especially subservient to the production of seed. In its common acceptation the word is used for the flower-bud of a plant when the petals are expanded.

Preserving of Flowers, &c. The preserving of flowers in their natural beauty throughout the whole year has been attempted by gathering them when dry and not too much opened, and burying them in sand; but this, though it preserves their figure well, diminishes the liveliness of their colour.

The flowers of plants are by much the most difficult parts of them to preserve in any tolerable degree of perfection.

Sir Robert Southwell has proposed a method of drying plants, by which these defects are said to be in a great measure remedied. For this purpose two strong plates of iron are prepared of the size of a large half sheet of paper, or larger; and in these there must be a hole made near each corner for receiving a screw to bring them closely together. Gather the plants with their flowers when they are quite perfect, in the middle of a dry day; and then place the plant and its flower on a sheet of paper, spreading out all the leaves and petals as nicely as possible. If the stalk be thick, it should be cut in two, so that it may lie flat; if woody, the bark alone should be retained. When all is thus prepared, lay several sheets of paper over the plant, and as many under it; then put the whole between the iron plates, and having screwed them close, put them into an oven after the bread is drawn, and let them lie there two hours. When the flowers are removed from the pressure of the plates, rub them lightly over with a camel's-hair pencil dipped in a mixture of equal parts of brandy and aquafortis; then dry them by gentle pressure between sheets of thick soft paper. When the plant is thus far prepared, take the bulk of a nutmeg of gum-dragon, put this into a pint of pure cold water, and let it stand twenty-four hours, in which time it will be wholly dissolved; and then with a fine hair-pencil dipped in this liquor, daub over the posterior sides of the leaves, and lay them carefully down on half a sheet of white paper, and press them down. When the gum water is fixed, let the pressure and paper be removed, and the operation is complete. The leaves in this case retain their verdure, and the flowers usually preserve their natural colours. Some care, however, must be taken that the heat of the oven be not too great. When the flowers are thick and bulky, they should be reduced by paring away a portion of the back; after which, if any of them are wanting, their places may be supplied with some of supernumerary ones dried at the same time; and if any of them are faded, it will be better to substitute others in their stead. The leaves may be also disposed and mended in the same manner.

But the most valuable method of preserving living plants excluded from the atmosphere is by means of the Wardian case, for an account of which see Botany, vol. v., p. 107.