TRANSPORT OP PLANTS AND SEEDS 265 



the Royal Gardens, Kew, and other botanical and com- 

 mercial establishments, as shown by Fig. 62. Figs. 63 and 

 64 are also used, but they are not so suitable for many 

 good and sufficient reasons. These cases are built with 

 glass roofs, covered with strong slats or laths, to protect 

 from breakage. The glass should be roughened sheet, or, 



Fig. 63. 



Fig. 64. 



if that is not obtainable, other strong glass, not easily 

 broken, covered on the inside with a thin coat of white 

 paint, which should be thoroughly dried before use. 

 Wardian cases are primarily intended for protection, 

 maintaining a suitable temperature, securing a sufficiency 

 of moisture, and affording to the plants a sufficiency of 

 hght during transport. In Fig. 62 the pointed gable roof 

 allows the moisture condensed upon it to retxirn to the 

 Soil in the case on both sides, and thus prevents the roots 

 suffering from drought, and the steep slope of the roof 

 prevents the drip of condensed moisture, which is specially 

 harmful to plants in packages. In Fig. 63, with its 

 partly flattened roof, there is generally considerable drip ; 

 and in Fig. 64 the condensed moisture will partly drip, 

 but will mostly be delivered at the lower side of the case, 

 leaving the soil too dry under the higher point. 



