48 TREATMENT OF SEEDS. 



where 90 per cent, of the seed failed, would not have occurred 

 had they been treated in the aboveinentioned manner, it 

 may be safely said 90 per cent, would have germinated, 

 and a most valuable tree introduced by thousands into 

 this country. The small expense of a Wardian case would 

 have been as nothing in comparison with the importance 

 of the success of the experiment, even in sending valuable 

 seeds from one part of India to another, it is well to ensure 

 success by putting them into damp earth ; seeds should 

 never be packed in tin because the extra moisture cannot 

 escape, and may rot the seeds if they are very many 

 days in transit. This is found especially the case when 

 seeds are packed damp in hermetically sealed tins. On 

 one occasion, a gentleman sent me (what I learnt after- 

 wards had been some favorite bulbs from his garden) in a 

 tightly soldered tin case, but which appeared to be on open- 

 ing a dish of cooked onions. Seedsmen at Home appear to 

 be exceedingly ignorant as to the packing of seeds, and pack 

 them imperfectly dried in this pernicious manner, and then 

 are surprised to find they had turned out a failure. There 

 are many ways of sending cuttings of valuable plants. I 

 give the palm again to the Wardian case, more especially so, 

 for the packing of succulent plants ; but for cuttings of all 

 but soft wooded plants, the ends may be tied up in damp moss, 

 or dipped in bees-wax (melted) and rolled up in wax-cloth 

 and sent by Parcel Post or Baughy. Glass houses are chiefly 

 useful by enabling you to regulate the temperature either in 

 hot or cold climates in the former, glass and shutters would 

 be necessary. One principal rule must always be kept ill 

 mind, and that is, that for all cuttings the bottom heat must 

 be greater than that above, say 90 below, 80 above; another 

 is perfect ventilation; the 3rd to have alternate strips of blue 

 and white glass, the blue color exercising a most important 

 effect on vegetation, the growth being twice as fast under 

 that color. In 1860 when I was entrusted with the direc- 

 tion of the Cinchona experiment with Mr. Mclvor as my 

 Executive, it was of the very greatest importance to ascer- 



