GROWTH OF PLANTS IN GLAZED CASES. 61 



China, and landed 215 of them in England alive and healthful. 

 The same person lately conveyed in this way 20,000 growing 

 tea-plants, in safety and high health, from Shanghai to the 

 Himalayas. In fact, this mode of conveyance is now univer- 

 sally adopted, and has proved so successful, whenever prop- 

 erly managed, that it is no exaggeration to say that, prob- 

 ably, " there is not a single portion of the civilized world 

 which has not been more or less benefited by the invention." 

 An indispensable requisite to success in the transmission of 

 living plants by this method is, that the glazed cases should 

 be freely exposed to the light. Where this cannot be done, 

 we must be content with the former method, of conveying 

 plants in a passive condition, closely packed in peat-moss, — 

 a plan, however, which is only partially successful in jaro- 

 tracted voyages. Two additional and highly interesting 

 chapters treat of the application of the " closed " plan in im- 

 proving the condition of the poor ; and on its probable future 

 applications in comparative researches in vegetable phys- 

 iology, and even in the treatment of diseases. To these, as 

 to the other topics of the work, no justice can be rendered to 

 our author's suggestions except by lengthened quotations, 

 which the nature of this notice does not admit of. It must 

 suffice to direct attention to this fascinating little volume. 

 Those who read it and who have a true fondness for growing 

 plants will scarcely be contented without a Ward case, of more 

 or less pretension ; which they will find an unfailing source of 

 interest, especially during the long and total suspension of 

 vegetation in our protracted winters. With proper manage- 

 ment, and with the requisite amount of light, any plant may 

 thus be cultivated. But we particularly recommend Ferns and 

 Lycopodia, of the most delicate kinds, as requiring least care, 

 and as making the prettiest appearance at all seasons. Most 

 of these require little light ; although our clear skies afford 

 us this in abundance. So little bituminous coal is consumed, 

 even in our largest cities, that the " fuliginous matter " with 

 which all British towns are begrimed and rendered noxious 

 to vegetation, here interposes no obstacle to rearing plants. 

 Quite unlike England, the principal obstacle to the growth of 



