TRANSMISSION OF LIVING PLANTS BY SEA. 



117 



to cases, packjng, shipping-, and general management, which, I 

 trust, will be useful to those interested in such matters. 



Glazed Cases. — " Ward's Cases," or air-tight cases, as they 

 are commonly called, are so well known in all parts of the 

 world, that a minute description of them here is unnecessary. 

 They are not, strictly speaking, air-tight, but they are so close 

 that the moisture cannot escape, and therefore, if the soil is well 

 watered before the case is closed, the moisture is retained in 

 sufficient quantity to support plants during a voyage to or from 

 the most distant parts of the world. When the sun shines, 

 evaporation goes on in the usual way, but the vapour finding no 

 outlet condenses on the glass and wood of the cases, as well as 

 upon the leaves of the plant, and in the evening again falls down 

 like dew upon the soil. In this manner the vapour goes on 

 forming and condensing, according to the heat of the weather 

 during the voyage, without much actual loss, providing the cases 

 are tightly made. 



After this explanation, any one will be able to see that it is of 

 the greatest importance to have the cases made of well- seasoned 

 wood, which is not liable to split or open at the joints when ex- 

 posed to the hot sun of the tropics. If this happens, the plants 

 will either perish from drought, or sea-water will probably be 

 admitted, which is equally fatal to vegetable life. 



Another defect in the construction of many of these cases is 

 the shortness of their feet. The bottom of the case should 

 always be at least six inches raised from the deck of the vessel. 

 Washing decks is the first part of the sailors' business every 

 morning at sea, and they are not generally very particular as to 

 where they throw the water. If the feet of the plant-case are 

 shorter than six inches, there will not be sufficient room for the 

 sailors to dash the water below it, and consequently both the 

 bottom and sides will stand the chance of being washed every 

 morning as regularly as the decks. In the course of a four or 

 five months' voyage, the salt water is certain to find its way into 

 the soil, which it then saturates, and destroys the roots of the 

 plants. I have no doubt that this is one of the reasons why 

 plants generally arrive in such bad condition from India and 

 other parts of the world, for I have frequently seen the soil of 

 such cases in a complete puddle when they come to hand in 

 England. 



Plants, Soil, &c. — I have already noticed the great import- 

 ance of choosing strong, healthy plants, which are not liable to 

 be overgrown or to damp off during the voyage. I found that 

 grafted plants were also more liable to suffer than others, as one 

 or two of my young scions died, while the stocks remained 

 healthy enough. 



