MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 135 
plants were shipped, in Wardian cases, to India. Thirty 
years later, in 1892, the drug prepared from these plants was 
sold, in five-grain doses, at most of the post-offices in the 
province of Bengal for the price of one pice—about half a 
cent—which means that this most beneficial medicine in the 
cure of the commonest and most fatal of Indian diseases was 
put within reach of the poorest Hindu. 
The Wardian case also made possible the introduction of 
the Para rubber plant (Hevia brasiliensis), into Ceylon. 
Seeds were collected in the vicinity of the River Tapajos, 
Brazil, shipped to Kew where upwards of 1000 seeds germ- 
inated, and the young plants sent to Ceylon, August 12, 
1876, in thirty-eight Wardian cases, which were especially 
constructed on account of the rapid growth of the seedlings. 
And ninety per cent of the plants reached Ceylon in ex- 
cellent condition. Without the Wardian cases, these two 
introductions would probably have shared the fate of the 
many earlier ones. 
The construction of a Wardian case is a simple matter. 
Except that the ends are solid, it may be compared to a 
miniature even-span greenhouse, the base representing the 
side walls and floor of the greenhouse. The roof is made of 
two separate frames, which fit on the ends and meet at the 
top, forming a ridge. These frames are glazed and the glass 
is protected on the outside by thin pieces of wood, so placed 
as to admit the maximum amount of light. One or both of 
these sash-frames are removable for purposes of packing and 
unpacking. The bottom of the case is filled with moist peat 
soil, cocoanut fiber, or light soil. The plants are planted in 
this material and held in position by narrow strips of wood, 
which in turn are firmly secured by cross strips nailed to 
the sides of the case. With the exception of a small plate of 
perforated zinc in each end, the case is practically air-tight, 
so that but little escape of water or change of air can take 
place in transit. Plate 11 illustrates a packed Wardian case, 
with the glass front removed. 
FLORAL DISPLAYS 
As announced in the Butierin for September, the prac- 
tice, inaugurated two years ago, of holding a continuous 
series of floral displays from November to June is being car- 
ried on during the present season. All of these exhibits are 
held in the floral display house, which constitutes the south 
wing of the new conservatory. 
