BOOK III. CHAP. IX. 909 



found: dip fome fqiiare pieces of cotton cloih in melted wax, and while 

 it is foft, and almod cold, ftrew the furface of each piece over with 

 each fort of fmall feed, then roll them up tight, and inclofe caLh roll in 

 fome foft bees wax[c], wrapping up each of them in a piece of paper, with 

 the name of the feed on it ; thefe may be either fiirrounded with falts, 

 as before, or packed without the falts in a box, as may be moft conve- 

 nient. Where glalfes or boxes cannot be conveniently procured, the 

 calibafh and gourd fhells, or joints of full-grown trump* t trees, tho- 

 roughly dried, feafoned, and rubbed on the outfiJe with palma Chrijli 

 oil, may anfwer equally well. 



When plants are fent, the boxes in which they are fet, fhould be 

 3 feet long, 15 inches broad, and from 18 inches to 2 feet deep, ac- 

 cording to the fize of the plants; but the fmalleft will be moft likely 

 to fucceed, provided they are well rooted. There muft be a nurrow 

 ledge nailed all round the infide of the box, within fix inches of the 

 bottom, to faften laths or packthread, to form a kind of lattice-work,, 

 by which the plants may be the better fecured in their places.. If they 

 are packed up but juft before the (hip fails, it will be fo much the better- 

 When they are dug up, care muft be taken to preferve as much earth as 

 can be about their roots, and if it fliould fall off, it mufl be fupplied 

 with more earth taken from the fame hole, fo as to form a ball about 

 the roots of each plant, which muft be furrounded with wet mofs, (per- 

 haps wet cotton may anfwer, where mofs is not to be had) and care- 

 fully tied round with packthread, after a covering of plantane, or pal- 

 meto leaves, to keep the earth moift. There muft be three inches of 

 wet mofs laid at the bottom of the box, ai-d the young plants fet in 

 rows upright, clofe to each other, fluffing wet mofs in the vacancies be- 

 tween them, and on the furface. I would advife the boring a great 

 many holes at the bottom of the box, and placing it in a (hallow 

 wooden trough made water-tight at the joints with pitch, and one inch' 

 wider every way, with ledges ot one or two inches, fo placed as to keep; 

 the box from touching the bottom. This trough may be filled, with- 

 wet cotton, which may be occafionally watered during the voyage, and; 

 no water be given in the mean time to the plants, which may be guard- 

 ed irom rain, and the fpray of the fea, by a fquare awning of oil cloth, 

 or painted canvafs, nailed upon four upright flips of deal, rifing from, 

 each angle of tlie box fo high, as to overtop the plants two or three; 



C'] See iQ. ill the lubjoiiied note. 



inches-; 



