4S lOTANtC dARDEN OF SCHCENBRUNHv 



'^ ^ vels. The veffal in which he made his voyage was takeiJ, 



and he was thus obliged to pafs a conftderable time, againft 

 his will, at Montferrat and the defert ifland of Gonave. 

 The firft targo ^'^ ^^e month of Auguft 1 7,57 the firft cargo of plants for the 

 of plants fliip- garden of Schoebrunn was Qiipped from Martinico, which ai*- 

 — thefecond ^'^^"^ atMarfeiiles. In the month of February, 1757, Van- 

 cafgo brought by der Schot returned alfofrom Martinico, and brought with him 

 Vander Schot. f^^^^^ jj^^ ^^^^ -^^^^ ^ g^.^^^ quantity of trees and fhrubs. All 

 this cargo arrived fafe, except fome fpecimens of Aieliconia, 

 which were attacked on the voyage by mice. The trees were 

 of the height of a man, and of the thicknefs of an arm, and 

 Ibmetimes more. The mod of them had born fruit in their 

 native foil ; their tops had been cut off, and only fome of the 

 principal branches were permitted to remain about two feet in 

 Method of pre- length; the llirubs remained in their natural ftate. To remove 

 paring the trees thofe trees from their native earth, a circular trench was dug 

 for ""'^S^' _ round eacii, at a convenient diftance, in fucb manner that there 

 ing them. might remain attached to their roots as great a mafs of the 



earth in which they grew as was pofTible, This mafs, whidi - 

 formed a fort of ball, was entirely wrapped up in leaves of 

 the Mufu, fecured with cords made of the bark of the hibifcus 

 tiliaceus, in fuch a manner that the earth could not falPout. 

 Weight of a tree A fingle tree packed in this manner, weighed commonly an 

 ^^M^^'^''"'^ hundred and odd pounds. The balls of earth were moifiened 

 a little, with the neceflary care, and fufpended in the air^ 

 where the vegetation foon became apparent. 

 Method of tranf- To prevent the earth from being detached from the roots on 

 porting the the way, all the packages were tranfported in barks to the 

 port of St. Pierre, in Martinico; from hence they were Ihip- 

 ped to Marfeillcs, and from thence brought by fea alfo to Leg- 

 horn, and from this port were carried by mules to Schcenbrunn. 

 This was wilhout exception the richeft cargo of living plants 

 which had ever been brought from the hot countries to Eu¥ 

 rope. 

 The third cargo In the month of Auguft, 1756, BuonaraicI fet off with the 

 l£"fo.Sr°' third cargo from St. Euftatia to Leghorn. The fourth cargo 

 and the fifth. ' departed towards the end of the fame year. The fifth was 

 fliipped from Curacao for Amflerdam, and was accompanied 

 by J. A. Vefuntin, who died in Germany of the dyfentery. 

 This cargo was extremely rich in corals and other produdioris . 

 of the fea, which ftill fprm fome of the moft precious ornaments 



of 



