METHOD OF PACKING PLANTS FOR EXPORTATION. 3/^5 



The infusion of litmus was reddened when added to it. 

 With the nitrate and acctite of baritcs, insoluble precijiitates 

 were thrown down, as was also the case with the acetite of 

 lead. Sulphate of iron gave a very slight olive tinge to the 

 infusion, after standing eight hours; and with the solutioa 

 of gelatine, a small quantity of a whitish tiocculent pre- 

 cipitate was formed, affer standing twelve hours. The 

 oxalic acid, a solution of pure auimopia, and the nitrate 

 of silver, produced no effect on the infusion. 



The conclusion to be drawn from these results is, that 

 the moss contains in its composition, beside the ordinary 

 principles of vegetables, a very small portion of gallic acid, 

 and of tannin, some sulphuric acid in an uncon)bined state, 

 mucilage, and extractive matter. No inference can, there- 

 fore, be drawn from these results, which explains in any 

 degree the effects of the moss in preserving the vegetables 

 that are enveloped in it: nor is there any effect produced 

 in the air by it, more than is produced by mosses in general, 

 when in an iincorrupted state; other causes to explain the 

 preservative property of the moss must therefore be looked 

 for, and these are to be found, in my opinion, in the pecu- 

 liar qualities of the moss, connected with its own existence 

 as a living plant. 



Plants which are taken from the earth, and packed up to Plants will not 



be sent abroad, or to any distance so considerable as to ?"^setate unless 

 " ' -^ kept alive. 



keep them for some length of time in the package, will not 



Tegetate when again taken out of it and planted, unless 



gome degree of vitality has been preserved during the period 



that they have been out of the ground. 



To preserve this, four circumstances are essential in the Circumstances 



packing material; softness, in order that the delicate parts J^J^"'=^'^^ *° 



pf the enveloped vegetable be not injured; looseness, that a 



pertain portion of air be contained in it, and that an equal 



temperature maybe preserved; moisture; and the power 



pf resisting fermentation, and the putrefactive process. 



AH of these circumstances this moss possesses in a remark. Bog moss cmi- 



^ble degree; its power of absorbing and retaining niois-J'^^^^'^y Possesses 



ture is more considerable than that which perhaps any other 



jnoss possesses, it is light, soft, and loose in its texture, 



i^d its vitality is so considerable, as to carry on the powers 



of 



