318. 
2ndly, That, owing to the quiet state of 
the atmosphere surrounding the plants in 
my inclosed cases, the plants, like human 
beings, will bear extremes of heat and of 
cold, which under ordinary circumstances 
would be fatal to them. It is well known, 
from the experiments of Sir C. Blagden, 
and others, that man will bear great degrees 
of heat with impunity, provided the atmo- 
sphere be undisturbed, and it is equally a 
matter of fact, that the extremest cold of 
the Arctic Regions produces no bad effect, 
when the air is quite still. Mr. King, who 
has recently returned from Capt. Back's 
Expedition, informed me that the greatest 
degree of cold he experienced was nearly 
70? below zero; that no inconvenience was 
felt at that low temperature, owing to the 
perfectly calm state of the air; but that if 
e wind arose, although the thermometer 
would likewise rapidly rise with the wind, 
the cold then became insupportable. 
These facts I have proved in the one case, 
by the exposure to sun of Hymenophyl- 
lum and Trichomanes; and in the other by 
pre ne AME Aapekion: elis, 
— palckellum, Amiria is. 
nuis, &c. 
3rdly, That owing to the prevention of 
the escape of the moisture contained with- 
in the cases, plants will grow for many 
months, and even for years, without requir- 
ing fresh supplies of water. Thus, in the 
first experiment, the Poa and Nephrodium 
grew for four years, without one drop of 
water having been given to them during 
that period, and would, I believe, have 
grown as many more, had they not acci- 
dentally perished in consequence of the 
rusting of the tin lid covering the bottle, 
and the admission of rain-water. 
4thly, That the degree of development 
ls which the plants attain, depend mainly, 
paribus, upon the volume of air 
contained within the case, and upon the 
quantity of light and solar heat received 
by the plants. Thus to revert to the first 
experiment, The Poa and Nephrodium, 
being contained within a small bottle—the 
one flowered but once during its confine- 
IMPROVED METHOD OF TRANSPORTING LIVING PLANTS, 
fraga umbrosa) ceases to exist after twelve - 
ment, while the other did not produce any, 
capsules. :Both Ferns and Grasses, in my 
larger cases, flower and fruit well. 
nogamous plants, for instance, such as Ipo- 
mea Quamoclit and coccinea, will not 
flower in a case e 
the South, these very plants come up from 
seed, and flower very well. 
To sum up all, in every place where 
there is light, even in the centre of the 
most crowded and smoky cities, plants of ` 
almost every family may be grown, and 
particularly those which have heretofore 
been found the most difficult to cultivate. 
I have now, in a wide-mouthed bottle, 
simply and loosely covered with a tin lid, 
the following plants: — Hymenophyllim - 
Tunbridgense and Wilsoni, Trichomanes 
brevisetum, Hookeria lucens, and other 
Mosses, Jungermannia juniperina and 
reptans, &c. &c. These plants have been 
inclosed for twelve months, and are grow- 
ing most vigorously, although they have 
not once been watered during that period. 
In my other cases, the Ferns, Palms, Or- 
chidee, Grasses, many Monocotyledonous 
plants belonging to the families of Scita- 
minee, Bromeliacee, &c. &c. grow very 
well; while, on the contrary, the continued 
humid state of the atmosphere is unfavour- 
able to the development of the flowers of 
most of the Exogenous plants, excepting 
those which naturally grow in moist an 
shady situations, the Linnea borealis, for 
instance, which I have had for more than 
two years, and which flowered twice last 
year in a situation where, without my pro- 
tecting cases, the London Pride (Saai-. 
ik ern 
or eighteen months. : 
This method will, I believe, assist the 
physiological Botanist in solving some 
points of great importance, connected with E 
vegetation in general, such as the agency - RT 
of various soils, the quantum of air neces- — 
sary for the pet pases of various tribes — 
of plants, &c. &c.; and I shall be delighted — 
in seeing the subject taken up by d 
who, with far greater knowledge UM : 
possess, have likewise better oppor 
