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LXXXI. Observations on the Difficulties which have existed 

 in the Transportation of Plants from China to England, 

 and Suggestions for obviating them. In a Letter to the 

 Secretary. By John Livingstone, Esq. of Macao, in 

 China, Corresponding Member of the Horticultural Society. 



Read November 16, 1819. 



Sir, 



The various objects of importance to the Horticulturist 

 and Botanist, which are generally known to abound in China, 

 has produced great desire to have them added to the stores 

 of Europe ; and no small degree of astonishment is frequently 

 expressed, by those who know of their existence, at the very 

 slow progress which has been hitherto made towards the rea- 

 sonable gratification of this laudable desire. Many persons 

 seem inclined to account for this fact by supposing that those 

 gentlemen who enjoy opportunities of sending or bringing 

 home Chinese plants, are either ignorant of the great estima- 

 tion in which they are held, or strangely unwilling to bestow 

 the necessary attention, on a subject so dear to the lovers of 

 fine plants. 



In this letter I propose to lay before the Horticultural 

 Society of London, such observations as have occurred to 

 me during the last twenty-five years, in which I have been 

 more or less conversant with the subject. From these I 

 think it will appear, that much has been attempted, and al- 

 though, comparatively, but little has been accomplished, 



