340 METHOD OF PACKIxVG PLANTS FOR EXPORTATION; 



packed up close from September, 1807, till March, 1808; 

 they were then planted in my nursery ; and the whole, 

 amounting to several hundreds, have grown equally as well 

 as they would iuive done, if only transplanted from one part 

 to another of the same ground. 

 Several trees In February last I sent to Boston in New England two 



senttoAmenca. p^^j^gggg j^^ ^j^jg ^ay, each containing upwards of nine hun- 

 dred trees of different kinds ; and I have lately received the 

 pleasing intelligence, that they have all arrived safe and 

 done well, but that some fruit trees sent to the same gentle- 

 man, packed in the usual way, were all spoiled, owing to 

 the heat of the hold of the vessel, in which all the packages 

 ■were placed. 

 Trees packed 'J-lie other box I now send to you, marked No. 2, con- 

 four months or tains specimens of different trees, which were packed up 

 by my order, some of which have been in the boxes four 

 months, and others a longer period, and the remainder now 

 in the boxes are all in a similar state of preservation, and I 

 have little doubt will remain three months longer, or more, 

 without injury. 

 Cause of trees I must beg leave to observe, that the principal cause why 

 ^^'lon *"^ur- things of this nature do not succeed in long journeys is, that 

 neys. if the package, (as is commonly the case) becomes by any 



means damp, it is very liable to heat, and the contents to be 

 thereby very much injured: and if left dry, the moisture of 

 the trees becomes exhausted, and they consequently die for 

 Planting in want of nourishment. The mode recommended some years 

 boxes of earth ^^q ^y ]yjp^ Ellis, of planting the articles in tubs or boxes 

 some. of earth, is attended with so much trouble, that it has been 



seldom found to succeed. 



Piopertiesof In packing my plants, I make use of the long white 



the sphagnum nioss, the sphagnum palustre of Linnaius, which grows in 



commmi bog g»'eat plenty on peat bogs, and, when decayed, forms a great 



njoss. portion of that substance. It differs materially from other 



vegetables in possessing the power of retaining moisture in a 



wonderful degree, and it does not appear to be liable to 



fermentation in any situation, even when laid together in 



great quantities; hence a decomposition does not readily 



take place, and it preserves the power of affording moisture 



and 



