METHOD OF PACKING PLANTS FOR FXPORTATION. 341 



and nutriment to plants wlien completely enveloped in it, as 

 appears by the above experiment. 



I am, with great respect, Sir, 



Your very obedient, and most humble servant, 



WILLIAM SALISBURY. 



WE hereby certify that we packed up the several trees 

 and plants at the times marked in the labels of those in the 

 box No. 2, by desire of Mr. Salisbury, and that the said 

 specimens have remained ever since in the boxes as above 

 described. 



ALEXANDER REITH. 

 JOHN WOODHOOD. 



DEAR SIR, 



THE prosperity of a country was never more rapidly Benefitsof the 

 promoted, than we have happily witnessed in our own nation ^1"^^° *^ 

 within a few years, since the study of natural history has 

 become so general among all ranks of society; and pro- 

 bably nothing has contributed so much thereto as the ex. 

 tended knowledge of botany, and the numerous collections 

 of vegetable productions, which have lately been intro- 

 duced from all parts of the world. From such sources our 

 agriculture,' and many of the arts, have been greatly im- 

 proved; yet much still remains to be accomplished by the Much still 

 assiduous botanist; for instance, neither the plants produc- ^^^"""S 

 ing the cinchona, or which nourish the cochineal, have yet 

 reached our soil, nor are we even acquainted with those 

 which yield many of our most useful drugs. This is owing, from thediffi- 

 ia a great measure, to the difficulty of procuring perfect seg^5° eeping 

 seeds, it being a well known fact, that many kinds will not 

 vegetate, if left dry but a short time after gathering ; and 

 the difficulty of keeping plants alive during long voyages has andplants alirc. 

 been almost an insuperable obstacle. Impressed, therefore, 

 with the importance of the subject, I wrote to you on the 

 9th of January last, and have now the pleasure of commu- 

 nicating to the Society of Arts, &c., for the benefit of the 

 public, farther particulars of the mode I have discovered ; 

 and by whieh I am convinced, from actual experiments, 

 trees or plants of all kinds may, with ease and certainty, be 

 transported from any part of the globe to this country and 

 pur colonies 5 being confident, that our commerce will be 



improved 



