The merit of geological collections being principally in the knowledge of local circumstances in which each sample is taken, it is indispensable to join to these collections well-arranged catalogues. They will repeat the numbers of the samples and directions written on the labels; all details should be inserted which may give a complete idea of the strata which have been observed, and sketches and drawings taken on the spot should be placed either in the margin or the body of the books. It would be well to have duplicates of the catalogues. One of them pressed between two pieces of board well tied, should be placed on the top of one of the boxes, the other should be adressed directly to M. Vattemare. CHAPTER II. BOTANY. The botanical riches of the museum are composed--1º Of living vegetables cultivated in the garden--2º of the collection of dry plants or herbals, of the different parts of plants dried and in alchool, such at woods, fruits, etc. And of all the produits of the vegetable kingdom that are capable of preservation--3º of the collection of fossil plants. _Living plants._ To promote the progress of science, agriculture and horticulture, it is important to collect in a central garden, like that of Paris, the greatest number of living plants possible. To attain this end, either living plants must be sent, or their seeds. Both of these ways are attended with difficulties, according to the nature of the plants, and the length of the voyage they have to endure. We shall only treat the parcels sent from countries out of Europe that must endure a voyage of from one to four or five months, because packages which are on the road but 15 or 20 days, only require those ways of putting up employed in all the nurseries of Europe. In the transportation of living plants, distinction should be made of the ligneous plants, young trees, shrubs, and herbaceous plants, which are neither pulpy plants, tubercles or roots, from that of these last vegetables. The transportation of the roots, underground bulbs and tubercles, such as those of the lily tribe, irides, dioscarea, land archides, aroidees, gesneria, of many of the Oxalis, Trospoculum, etc., is easily effected by packing these parts carefully in dry moss, or very dry sand, with wich the box should be filled up; the parasitic orchides or epyphites, with green bulbs, can be sent in wooden boxes, pierced with little holes, and kept dry; all the old leaves should be taken off, as, in their decay, they cause dampness, and the roots wrapped in dry moss or cloth. The same means may be used for the pulpy plants, such as the cactus: any dry flexible substance, not subject to dampnes, as hairwool etc. may be used to pack them. These pulpy plants, if large, should be separated from the others, so that they may not be tainted by their decay.